NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2 – President William Ruto has announced plans to lower fertilizer and seed prices ahead of the next planting season as the government moves to cushion farmers from the effects of failed rains and strengthen food production.
Speaking during a church service in Uasin Gishu County on Sunday, the President said the intervention will target both the upcoming short rains season and the long rains next year, with the aim of encouraging farmers to return to their farms and avert potential food shortages.
The announcement comes as parts of the country continue to grapple with the effects of erratic weather patterns linked to climate change, which have disrupted agricultural production and heightened concerns over food security.
Uasin Gishu and the wider North Rift region are among Kenya’s key grain-producing areas, making the sector critical to national food supplies.
“Because this part of the country is Kenya’s food basket, we will make sure that we don’t slide into hunger. I want to ask all farmers to return to their farms because the government will scale down the prices of fertilizers and seeds so that we can have enough food.”
“The government will intervene in the coming short rains season and the long rains next year. We are going to reduce the price of fertilizer and seeds so that more farmers can go back to the farms and produce more food for us and raw materials for our industries.”
Ruto said the planned subsidies are also intended to support the supply of raw materials for local industries, arguing that higher agricultural output is essential to the government’s broader strategy of building an export-led economy.
The latest pledge builds on previous government interventions to subsidize farm inputs, which officials say have contributed to increased maize production in recent seasons.
However, the effectiveness of the new measures will largely depend on timely implementation, adequate rainfall, and sustained access to affordable inputs for farmers across the country.
The President also urged farmers to continue cultivating both food and cash crops, maintaining that agriculture remains central to Kenya’s economic growth, job creation, and long-term food security.