Step in and save struggling wheat farmers, ODM leaders tell gov't
The party said it was unacceptable for farmers to be abandoned at a critical time despite government efforts to boost production through subsidies.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called on the government to take urgent action to rescue wheat farmers in Narok and North Rift, who are unable to sell their bumper harvest due to an influx of cheap imports.
In a statement on Wednesday, ODM said the crisis has left farmers with massive financial losses, warning that failure to act will deepen food insecurity and cripple the agricultural sector.
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The party said the current situation worsens poverty, unemployment, and economic instability in farming regions.
"A nation that mistreats its farmers is courting food insecurity, deepening poverty, and fuelling mass unemployment," acting party leader Anyang Nyong'o said.
As a result, the party outlined four key measures the government must implement immediately, including directing the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to purchase locally produced wheat at fair prices and regulating wheat imports to shield farmers from unfair competition.
Additionally, ODM called for the provision of immediate storage and logistical support to prevent post-harvest losses, as well as ensuring financial relief for affected farmers, including loan restructuring options.
ODM blamed the crisis on "well-connected individuals" importing cheap wheat and flooding the market, making it impossible for local farmers to compete.
The party said it was unacceptable for farmers to be abandoned at a critical time despite government efforts to boost production through subsidies.
"The plight of wheat farmers is a national crisis that requires immediate and decisive action. The government must act now to protect food producers and secure the country's agricultural future."
Narok County is known for wheat farming, where farmers grow wheat on large scales. Farmers can produce up to 20 bags (90 kilogrammes each) from one acre of wheat, with each bag selling for between Sh4,000 and Sh5,000.
The Mau regions, where the climate is favourable for the crop, produce the majority of the wheat.
Early this month, wheat farmers in Narok were seeking better market prices following this year's bumper harvest occasioned by favourable weather conditions.
Led by their chairman, Stanley Koonyo, the farmers said over 10 million 90-kilogramme bags have been in stores since the harvesting season began in August 2024, and no miller has shown interest in purchasing the produce.
Koonyo noted that despite the farmers' efforts to purchase farm inputs such as fertiliser and chemicals to ensure a successful harvest and improve food security for the country, their efforts were in vain as their produce remains unsold.
He observed that the wheat produced in Narok County is only five per cent of the wheat consumed in the country. He wondered what would happen if they increased the production to 10 per cent as per their ambitions.
"The government has been urging us to increase production, and that is why we purchased the fertiliser at a subsidised price. But what worries us most is that there is no market for our produce," he said.
He called on the Department of Agriculture to intervene and give solutions to the problem they were facing, as most farmers have huge loans from financial institutions.
Cereal Growers Association (CGA), Narok Branch, also wondered why the situation is different this year, yet in previous years, their wheat was easily sold out to millers at a huge profit.
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