Investment Promotion Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan (left) and his Agriculture counterpart Paul Ronoh flag off consignment of fertiliser in Mombasa on January 13, 2026/COURTESY

Farmers preparing to take advantage of the long-rains planting season have received a boost after the government flagged off three million 50 kg bags of subsidised fertiliser from the Port of Mombasa to key agricultural regions across the country.

The consignment, dispatched under the nationwide fertiliser
subsidy programme, is destined for Nyamira, Kisii, the North and
South Rift, Bungoma and Kakamega counties.

The intervention seeks to ensure timely access to inputs, lower
production costs and enhance yields at a time when food security
remains a national priority.

According to Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh, the
rollout is expected to scale up to 12.5 million bags throughout the
year, guaranteeing adequate supply during critical planting windows
and strengthening country’s broader food and nutrition security
framework.

“This timely availability of fertilizer before planting is not
optional. It is central to sustaining food production and protecting
livelihoods,” Ronoh said during the flag-off ceremony in Mombasa.

He noted that the efficiency of the Port of Mombasa, the country’s
main gateway for agricultural imports, plays a decisive role in the
reliability of the subsidy programme and the stability of the food
supply chain.

Delays in handling essential inputs, he said, often cascade to
farmers and consumers nationwide.

Ronoh also used the opportunity commended improvements made by the
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in managing bulk and loose cargo, saying
the gains had shortened turnaround times and improved predictability
for importers and distributors of agricultural commodities.

He added that enhanced port efficiency translated directly to
better outcomes for farmers seeking fertilizer during planting
seasons.

The event was facilitated by KPA, which coordinated the discharge
and evacuation of the consignment as part of efforts to reinforce
Mombasa’s position as a strategic logistics hub for East Africa.

Investment Promotion Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan, and
officials from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB)
accompanied Ronoh at the ceremony.


Officials said NCPB will continue to manage distribution networks
for subsidised fertilizer to ensure accessibility across agricultural
zones.

The government is banking on increased productivity from the
subsidy scheme to stabilise food prices, reduce dependence on imports
and cushion households from inflationary pressures linked to food
commodities.

The Port of Mombasa serves several neighbouring countries in
addition to Kenya, making its performance central to regional trade
and food security.

With farmers preparing land ahead of the anticipated rains,
government officials expressed confidence that the timely deployment
of fertiliser would support production and strengthen value chains as
planting season approaches.

Last week, Ronoh announced that over two million bags have been distributed to all 32 NCPB depots across the country.

He added that e-vouchers to be used by farmers to buy the subsidised fertiliser from depots have already been processed.

The PS further stated that they had
ensured that the consignment being distributed was of high quality and had been
approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS).