Government Cuts Fertilizer Price to KSh2,000 and Halves Maize Seed Cost for Farmers

The government has introduced a fresh subsidy on fertilizer and certified maize seed as it seeks to help farmers recover from drought losses and resume production ahead of the next planting season.

Under the new intervention, a 50-kilogramme bag of subsidized fertilizer will retail at KSh2,000, down from the previous price of KSh2,500.

The government will also cover half the cost of certified maize seed, reducing the farmer’s price from KSh300 to KSh150 per kilogramme.

The adjustment means farmers will pay KSh300 for a two-kilogramme pack of certified maize seed, down from KSh600. A 10-kilogramme pack will retail at KSh1,500 instead of KSh3,000.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the measures are intended to reduce production costs and help farmers recover from the effects of drought and changing weather patterns.

The maize seed subsidy will cover approximately 40 million kilogrammes of certified seed. The programme represents an estimated KSh6 billion in government support to farmers.

The intervention comes as farmers across parts of the country face pressure from erratic rainfall and drought, which have affected crop production and household incomes.

Kagwe said lowering the cost of farm inputs would help protect gains made in agricultural production while supporting national food security.

The government has expanded fertilizer subsidies in recent years as part of efforts to make farm inputs more affordable. Since 2022, approximately 33.55 million 50-kilogramme bags of subsidized fertilizer have been distributed to about 1.98 million farmers.

Government support for the fertilizer programme during that period has amounted to approximately KSh78.79 billion.

The latest reduction is expected to lower the initial cash requirement for farmers preparing their farms for the next maize crop. For smallholder farmers, the cost of certified seed and fertilizer remains a significant part of production expenses.

The government is also linking the input subsidy programme with longer-term measures aimed at reducing farmers’ exposure to drought.

Kagwe said investments in irrigation and water harvesting would continue alongside other climate-smart agricultural interventions. The aim is to improve farmers’ ability to produce even when rainfall is inadequate or arrives outside normal seasonal patterns.

The government considers access to affordable inputs and reliable water supplies essential to maintaining food production as climate conditions become increasingly unpredictable.

The latest subsidy package therefore combines immediate financial support for farmers with longer-term investment in agricultural resilience. Its impact will depend on timely access to subsidized inputs and farmers’ ability to plant successfully during the next production cycle.