Farmers in Uasin Gishu county have asked the Treasury to increase the budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector in the 2018/19 budget estimates expected to be tabled in the National Parliament this week.
Led by the Uasin Gishu Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) Director Kipkorir Menjo, the farmers said they want the agriculture docket to be given at least 10 percent of the National budget as per the Maputo declaration which Kenya is a signatory to.
“It is sad that despite Agriculture being the backbone of our economy, it's usually given 3 percent, how is the government expecting the country to be food secure with such allocations?” asked Menjo after meeting farmers in Eldoret on Monday.
They proposed that the Agricultural Development Corporations (ADC) should be allocated Sh5 billion, Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) Sh10 billi0n and a further Sh10 billion to be set aside for fertilizer subsidy.
The farmers also said the government should consider setting aside Sh6 billion to be used for the provision of subsidized seeds to them and another Sh10 billion for the purchase of their produce.
“As farmers from the region, we are calling upon the treasury to put the above in the budget if they really care about farmers issues since we are suffering. We call upon elected leaders from the region to ensure the agriculture sector is given more money for farmers to enjoy the fruits of their labor,” insisted the KFA director.