Kenya might have its best maize harvest in history this year - Ruto

Ruto said during a thanksgiving service at Kisii's Nyanturago Stadium that his ambitious plan to increase maize production in the country is beginning to bear fruit, especially now that farmers have access to affordable fertilisers.

He turged farmers to take advantage of the efforts by government to disburse more bags of fertiliser to achieve a bountiful harvest during the harvesting season.

"Upto now we have released 4 million bags of fertilizer and the 44 million we harvested last year this year, by the grace of God we will harvest 66 million bags," he said. 

"Already the professionals have agreed that we have a better harvest by far. In fact, we might have the best harvest this year in Kenya's history."

Ruto went on to say that his plan was inspired by the need to rid Kenya of the shame it has been suffering as a result of rising hunger cases, and vowed to put an end to the problem.

He also stated that by assisting local food production, the government will save millions of shillings that would otherwise be used to buy food from foreign nations.

"My aim is to ensure that we double the production of food crops in Kenya. What is the need of using Ksh.500 billion every year to borrow food that we can grow at home? he posed.

"I have agreed with governors that we will produce food in every sector and eliminate the shame of hunger in the nation. We cannot be complaining about hunger 60 years after independence and our farmers are ready to produce."

Farmers have been accessing bags of subsidized fertilizer through the E-voucher System launched in March with the aim of ensuring traceability and full accountability of the distribution process.

Upon registration, an e-voucher is generated for a National Cereals Produce Board (NCPB) or KNTC store, which the attendant validates before handing over the fertilizer to the farmer upon payment.

The ministry of Agriculture has remained committed to supplying over 300,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer during the long rains to enhance crop yields and productivity.

So far over 1,104,774 50kg bags have been distributed.