Cheaper fertiliser opens the door to bigger harvests in Western Kenya

For farmers in Western Kenya, the cost of fertiliser can determine how much land they are able to cultivate.

When the price is high, farmers are often forced to scale back their acreage or apply less fertiliser than their crops need.

But as fertiliser becomes more affordable, some farmers say they are putting more land under maize and expecting better harvests.

In Kakamega, Norah, a farmer says the change in fertiliser prices has allowed her to expand maize production in both Kakamega and Kitale.

Norah says she previously bought fertiliser from agrovets at between Sh4,000 and Sh6,000 depending on the brand. At those prices, the cost of inputs limited the amount of land she could afford to cultivate.

She says the current lower prices have changed the calculation for her farm.

The same amount of money that previously went towards one bag can now help her buy more fertiliser, allowing her to put more acreage under maize.

For farmers, the impact goes beyond saving money at the point of purchase. More affordable inputs can determine whether a farmer leaves part of their land unused or brings it into production.

Norah says the fertiliser has also been reliable in quality, while the resulting yields have been encouraging.

Her experience is echoed by other farmers in Kakamega.

Martin Shikuku says fertiliser that previously cost between Sh6,000 and Sh7,000 can now be obtained for about Sh2,500.

He says the lower cost has made farming more affordable and given farmers an opportunity to plant more.

For Martin, increased access to fertiliser could also help address food shortages by enabling farmers to produce more from their farms.

The argument is simple. If farmers can afford the inputs required to cultivate a larger portion of their land, the amount of food entering the market could also increase.

Lawrence Wabuko, a farmer from Butere, says the difference is particularly important for farmers with larger pieces of land.

He recalls paying close to Sh6,000 for a bag of urea from agrovet shops, a cost that made it difficult to buy enough fertiliser for his entire farm.

With government fertiliser available at about Sh2,500, Lawrence says the money that previously bought one bag can now buy two.

He says this has helped crops perform better, especially because the acidic nature of the soil in the area makes fertiliser important for achieving good harvests.

But farmers say affordability must be matched by availability.

Lawrence wants fertiliser to be stocked at cereals board outlets and, where possible, at sub-county level so farmers do not have to travel long distances or deal with congestion while looking for supplies.

Norah also says demand remains high, with farmers sometimes arriving when available stocks are limited.

The experiences of the farmers point to a bigger shift in Western Kenya agriculture.

Lower input costs can encourage farmers to expand acreage, improve crop performance and increase the amount of food produced.

But sustaining those gains will depend on reliable supply and making inputs accessible to farmers where they live.

For farmers like Norah, Martin and Lawrence, cheaper fertiliser is therefore more than a reduction in the cost of one farm input. It is creating room to put more land into production and potentially harvest more food from it.