Peter Nge'tich
8 February 2008
Nairobi — Kenya's food security is set to worsen due to the on-going political crisis, 57 representatives from various agricultural sub-sectors said on Thursday.
Under the umbrella of Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (Kenfap), which claims to represent 1.4 million farmers, the officials called for peace to enable Kenyans to go back to building the country. In an advertisement placed in the media after a meeting on the prevailing situation in the country, the farmers' representatives warned that food prices might soar if the political impasse is not resolved.
In the statement signed by the national chairman of the organisation, Mr Nduati Kariuki, the officials said the prices of agricultural produce at the farm level had hit a record low while farm inputs were on the rise, which might slacken the growth of the economy. "Farm gate output prices have hit a record low leading to low income, while the cost of inputs have increased significantly. The likely reduction in the overall agricultural output resulting from failure to adequately prepare and sustain a healthy crop during the year, may lead to high produce prices," the statement said. The officials, who represented the eight provinces of the country, called on Kenyans to give the Kofi Annan led mediation team support, adding that the government should resettle those displaced.
The officials also expressed their grievances according to their regions, with Nairobi taking issue with spiraling milk, maize flour and vegetable prices, which have increased by 50 per cent to 100 per cent.
Huge losses
They added that most industries had recorded huge losses due to lack of raw materials, leading to high a demand for finished products, which the industries are not able to meet, since supply from western Kenya had been interrupted.
Officials from Western province complained about the displacement of about 40 per cent of farmers from their farms and the burning of food in stores. They added that innocent countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo had also suffered because the roads had been barricaded by protestors. Nyanza's problem was that roads had been blocked and bridges destroyed leaving it landlocked. Additionally, some crops in Nyamira, Gucha and Kisii that were ready for harvest are rotting in farms.
Rift Valley, referred to as the break basket of the country, is facing high costs in production inputs, for example diesel and fertiliser. The officials of the province also said transporting milk to the market was a problem since rowdy youths had blocked roads with rocks while transporters had refused to carry on with the business, fearing that youths might burn their vehicles.
At the coast, the closure of some hotels and lack of horticultural produce due to interruption of supply have been a major problem.
Officials from Eastern province said their stock of food was running low and there are fears that the area might not receive enough rainfall, threatening the fragile food security in the province. Livestock marketing they said, had been hampered by insecurity and high transportation costs.
"Without the rest of Kenyan farmers producing optimally in other parts of the country, we are all doomed," they said.
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