Nyandarua Senator John Methu has raised concerns over alleged irregularities and favoritism in the distribution of subsidized fertilizer by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). Disparities in allocation have left several key agricultural counties in central Kenya under-supplied, despite their significant contributions to national food production.
During a parliamentary session, it was alleged that the NCPB and the Ministry of Agriculture had engaged in a non-transparent and seemingly biased distribution process. The data presented indicated that Uasin Gishu County received 413,103 bags of fertilizer, nearly 21% of the national allocation, while other counties such as Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Meru, Nyeri, Murang’a, and Tharaka Nithi were allocated considerably lower quantities. Additionally, agriculturally productive counties like Marsabit and Samburu reportedly received no fertilizer allocations at all.
Questions were raised regarding the criteria used to determine these allocations, with concerns that counties essential to Kenya’s food security were being overlooked. The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, chaired by Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli, was urged to investigate the methodology used by the Ministry of Agriculture and the NCPB in distributing the fertilizer. There was also a call for full disclosure on whether allocations were based on verified farmer registration data and actual county-level demand.
The demand for accountability emphasized the need for the Agriculture Committee to justify the distribution disparities and to clarify why highland counties, often referred to as Kenya’s food basket, appeared marginalized in the process. It was stressed that fertilizer serves as a critical resource for farmers and that any imbalance in its allocation could have serious implications for national food security.
Further inquiries were made into whether the government has a strategy to ensure equitable access to fertilizer subsidies and if there are safeguards in place to prevent political or regional bias in future distributions. The Agriculture Committee is expected to summon officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the NCPB to explain the allocation framework and to provide evidence of due diligence in the distribution process. The committee will also be tasked with recommending corrective measures to enhance fairness and transparency moving forward.
The controversy arises at a time when farmers across the country are facing increasing input costs amid a challenging economic environment. The rising cost of farm inputs, coupled with inconsistencies in subsidy distribution, has heightened concerns about the government’s commitment to supporting food production. Ensuring a fair and transparent allocation of resources remains a pressing issue for stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
