Farmers in the North Rift have been assured of genuine fertiliser as authorities monitor the sale and distribution of the plant food across the region.
Uasin Gishu county commissioner Edison Nyale said security teams were already on the ground to prevent tampering and ensure only genuine fertiliser is sold to farmers.
“We are on alert, and we will not
allow anyone to mess with even a single bag of fertiliser,” Nyale said.
Governor Jonathan Bii said the county
government had also partnered with the security agencies to
protect farmers from unscrupulous dealers.
“We are determined to ensure subsidised fertiliser reaches the intended beneficiaries,” he said.
The governor commended the officers who apprehended suspects in Naiberi after they were found with counterfeit fertiliser.
On Monday, eight workers were
arraigned in an Eldoret court for allegedly adulterating subsidised fertiliser and
repackaging it for sale.
Authorities said the suspects were caught mixing chemicals with OCP fertiliser and repackaging it as DAP fertiliser. Some 750 sacks of fake fertiliser were recovered. Police officers said the mastermind of the scam was yet to be arrested.
Inspector Joyce Tungei described the crime as a serious act of economic
sabotage, noting that some counterfeit fertiliser had already reached markets
in Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo
Marakwet, and Narok counties.
The seized fertiliser is awaiting forensic analysis by government chemists.
Nyale urged cooperative unions to exercise vigilance and accountability in distributing inputs, saying proper oversight is key to protecting farmers’ livelihoods and boosting food security.
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