Government Launches North Rift Drought Assessment After Trans Nzoia Maize Losses Hit 30%
BY JOHN ORONI
The national government has launched a comprehensive assessment of drought-related maize losses across the North Rift after preliminary findings revealed that farmers in Trans Nzoia County have lost about 30 per cent of their maize crop following prolonged dry spells that interrupted this year’s growing season.Principal Secretary for Agriculture Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh announced the assessment during a fact-finding tour of Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu counties, where he led senior officials from key agricultural agencies to evaluate the extent of the damage and identify interventions to cushion affected farmers while safeguarding Kenya’s food security.The delegation comprised officials from the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), Kenya Seed Company, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Members of Parliament serving on the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Kenya Seed directors and other stakeholders in the crop production sector.”We have come to this region to assess the current concern over crop failure, particularly maize, because maize remains the country’s main food security crop,” Dr. Ronoh said.The Principal Secretary attributed the losses to erratic weather patterns that disrupted the planting season. Although the long rains began earlier than anticipated, they were followed by extended dry spells that severely damaged maize fields across several of Kenya’s leading grain-producing regions.Dr. Ronoh said the government had encouraged farmers to plant after consulting forecasts from the Kenya Meteorological Department, but the unexpected drought left many producers facing significant losses.”Some farmers became so devastated by the crop failure that they feared visiting their farms during the day because of the extent of the losses,” he said.The PS warned that the drought threatens to derail the government’s ambitious food production targets after three consecutive years of improved agricultural performance.He noted that the government had invested heavily in timely fertiliser distribution, subsidised farm inputs, improved seed availability and expanded last-mile distribution centres, resulting in steadily rising maize production since 2022.”We expected this year to produce more than 80 million bags of maize. We believed farmers and the government would register the highest production ever,” he said.According to the ministry’s preliminary assessment, farmers in Narok, Kericho and Bomet recorded crop losses of less than 10 per cent, while Trans Nzoia County suffered the most severe impact, with estimated maize losses of about 30 per cent.Dr. Ronoh said the drought had affected both smallholder and large-scale commercial farmers, including government seed production farms.”The President himself lost a significant acreage of maize. The Head of Public Service also lost about 400 acres, while many other commercial and smallholder farmers suffered similar losses,” he said.He said the Ministry of Agriculture had begun a detailed nationwide assessment following a directive from President William Ruto to determine the level of support required for affected farmers.Among the interventions under consideration are subsidised seeds and fertiliser for the next planting season, alongside measures to help farmers salvage partially damaged crops by converting them into silage for livestock feed.”Not everything is lost. Some crops can still serve other purposes, and we are evaluating the best support package for affected farmers,” Dr. Ronoh said.The PS linked the recurring weather shocks to climate change, saying Kenya must accelerate the transition from rain-fed agriculture to irrigated farming to strengthen food production.He said the government is constructing 50 dams across the country to expand irrigation and reduce dependence on unpredictable rainfall.Dr. Ronoh also encouraged farmers to diversify production by growing crops such as beans, sweet potatoes, bananas and arrowroots alongside maize to enhance both food and nutritional security.”If maize fails, other crops can still sustain households. Food security goes beyond maize alone,” he said.He added that the government would consider importing maize and rice from approved sources if the final assessment revealed a significant national food deficit. He also urged Kenyans to embrace more diversified diets instead of relying primarily on maize meal.The PS disclosed that the drought had also disrupted seed production, with approximately 25 per cent of Kenya Seed Company’s contracted growers and Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farms recording crop losses.Despite the setback, he assured farmers that Kenya Seed had already produced enough certified seed to meet national demand during the next planting season.Soi MP David Kiplagat, a member of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture who accompanied the delegation, said Parliament would support government proposals aimed at cushioning farmers and protecting the country’s food security.Kiplagat said lawmakers wanted farmers to actively participate in identifying practical solutions before the ministry finalises its recommendations.”We want farmers to participate in identifying solutions so that their views form part of the mitigation measures the government adopts,” he said.He pledged Parliament’s support for funding required to implement the ministry’s proposed interventions.Emgwen MP Josses Lelmengit, who also participated in the assessment, said legislators would push for additional funding to expand seed and fertiliser subsidies, particularly for smallholder farmers, to enable them to resume production.Lelmengit said Parliament would work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to mobilise resources needed to restore food production and minimise the impact of the drought.He commended the ministry for responding swiftly to the crisis and reassured farmers that the government remained committed to supporting their recovery.”The government has acted promptly by assessing the situation early. We will support the necessary mitigation measures and ensure farmers receive the assistance they need to return to their farms,” Lelmengit said.The Ministry of Agriculture expects the ongoing assessment to guide a comprehensive drought response before the September short rains as Kenya prepares for another planting season that could be influenced by El Niño weather conditions.
