A new bill by parliamentarians might change the face of agriculture in Kenya to a great extent as the parliament members propose a bill to transfer the seed subsidy programme of Kenya Seed Company to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Kenya Seed Company has been running the seed subsidy programme which is one of the government programs that aim at availing cheap high quality seeds to the farmers to enhance food production. Nevertheless, currently, MPs claim that the location of the programme under NCPB would increase efficiency, transparency and accessibility of the programme- particularly among the small-scale farmers all over the country.
As stated by the legislators, NCPB already enjoys a broad distribution network and infrastructure that has depots in the rural areas where majority of the farmers are located. They believe that, this puts it in a better position to deliver the subsidized seeds on time compared to the existing system. The shift is also considered to streamline the agricultural support services within a single institution to eliminate bureaucratic overlaps.
Critics have, however, expressed a concern regarding the possible havoc such a shift would bring about. Kenya seed company is a company with decades of experience in the production of seeds, research and quality control. Other stakeholders are concerned it might not be taken in the subsidy programme and it may cause a weak position of the company in assisting the agricultural sector in Kenya in terms of quality assurance of the seeds.
Farmers are still split on the proposal. Even though some of them are excited about the concept of condensed access by utilizing NCPB depots, some others fear that there might be delays or inefficiencies that might happen in the transition time. Agricultural experts believe that regardless of what institution will run the programme, the focus must always be on getting farmers certified seeds at the right time especially before the planting seasons.
The proposal is timely due to the problems on food security in Kenya fueled by climatic change, increase in cost of inputs and erratic weather patterns. With the controversy still ongoing, the last ruling would have far-reaching effects on crop production, livelihoods, and the general food security of the country.
Finally, the effectiveness of the subsidy programme will not only be determined by the management, but the implementation of the programme will determine whether the Kenyan farmers will be satisfied.
