Even as the government of Kenya through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development intensifies its efforts to boost crop production by providing farmers with subsidised fertiliser, reports have emerged of fake fertiliser in the market, the claims the ministry is refuting.
Around mid-last month, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) cautioned farmers against buying a substandard fertiliser that is in the market.
In a notice to farmers, KEBS said that the fertilizer does not meet the set Kenyan quality standard and that it is also not part of the subsidized fertilizer program.
“The product does NOT meet the requirements of the Kenyan Standards for Organic Fertilizer KS 2290:2018,” read the notice in part while calling on Kenyans to report any instances of suspected substandard products available for purchase, through the KEBS Official App, email – info@kebs.org, Telephone Number – 020 6948000 and Toll-Free Number -1545.
According to Esther Ngari, KEBS managing director, so far, the agency has impounded 5,840 bags of the fake fertiliser bearing their standardisation marks.
“Innocent farmers had been duped into buying the fakes, now confirmed to be Diatomite. The KEBS labels also are fake,” said Ngari while appearing before the National Assembly’s Agriculture Committee last month.
In another report published by a private investigative media platform based in the country called Africa Uncensored, a subsidised fertiliser known as GPC Plus Organics, packaged in 25kg bags, has been selling in various markets of which up to 5,840 bags were reported to have been sold to unsuspecting farmers across the country.
These reports have cast a shadow on the credibility of the subsidised fertiliser championed by the agriculture ministry triggering fears among farmers of a drop in maize yield this year.
However, in a quick rejoinder by the minority on the 22nd of March, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi asked farmers to “Ignore the rumors on fake fertilizer” saying unscrupulous fertilizer dealers will face the wrath of law.
Speaking at Lake Naivasha Resort when he met Governors and County Executive Committee Members in charge of agriculture for a meeting on promoting edible oil project in Kenya, Agriculture and livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said the Kenya Kwanza Government will continue working closely with county governments to deliver on the nutrition and food security agenda.
“The rumours are aimed at derailing our agenda on food production through subsidized programs. Kenya has institutions that specifically deal with standards and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has not issued any formal complaint of anyone complaining of fertilizer alleged to be of low quality.,” Linturi said.
He added that government agencies are on high alert and whoever will be found culpable of dealing in counterfeit products will be treated as a bandit.
According to a report from the World Food Programme in 2030, a decline in maize production has the potential to exacerbate the food security situation in Kenya, where over 1.6 million people are already facing food scarcity due to drought in key farming regions.
