A section of farmers in Uasin Gishu County is afraid that the Jubilee government's Big Four agenda of food security might not be attained over delayed fertilizers.
With North Rift region dependent on Maize farming, less than 20 percent of the armers have so far managed to plant.
According to the Uasin Gishu branch director of the Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) Kipkorir Menjo, the 80 percent of farmers have delayed planting due to the unavailability of subsidized fertilizers.
“Despite the availability of fertilizers in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), the processes of receiving them is tedious and costly as far as transport and other expenses are concerned,” said Menjo in Eldoret on Monday.
He regretted that farmers have wasted a lot of time and money in a bid to acquire fertilizers and urged the government to 'pull up their socks' if they are serious about achieving the food security.
“Farmers are aware that if they fail to do proper timing during planting seasons then they risk low yields, inadequate rains, crop diseases and poor quality of their produce," noted Menjo.
Several farmers have expressed their disappointments to the government for failing to avail fertilizers in time.
Nelson Kemei, a large-scale farmer from Ziwa in Moiben constituency, said that if the government fails to redouble their efforts then a dry spell predicted in May might catch up with farmers before they have planted.
Another farmer Fredrick Kimani narrated how has wasted over Sh10,000 on transport and other expenses in a quest to receive fertilizer from the NCPB Eldoret depot.
"I should have planted early this month, but due to delayed fertilizer I need to look for some more funds to replough my farm since the weeds have grown on it," said Kimani.
He urged the government to intervene and save them further unnecessary expenses.