January - June 2008 - Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

(LTT) at KARI-Kabete has also continued to demonstrate
yield responses to inorganic, organic fertilizers and their
integration. The LTT further offers a range of soil
management options that smallholder farmers can choose
from depending on their availability and socio-economic
factors associated with the different inputs which are likely
to differ from one site to the other.
Fertilizer demand and supply
Food production and soil fertility management in Kenya
is mainly undertaken by the small-scale farmers who
represent about 85 % of the population and live in the
rural areas. However, Kenya’s growth in fertilizer
consumption covers both food and cash crops such as
tea, coffee, and sugarcane. Fertilizer use rose by 35% over
a 10-year period (from 1995 to 2004) while the total
consumption rose from a mean of 180,000 in the 1980s to
250,000 t yr -1 in the 1990s and to over 350,000 t yr -1 in the
2004/5 period. The proportion of small farmers using
fertilizer varied considerably but generally increased from
10% in the dry lowlands to over 85% in central Province
and high rainfall potential zones of the North Rift valley
Province. This expanded fertilizer growth is mainly
attributed to several factors including:
• A relatively stable fertilizer policy since 1990 which
has attracted over 10 importers, 500 wholesalers and
7,000 retailers;
• A greatly increased network of fertilizer retailers in
rural areas that expanded smallholders’ access to
fertilizer, reduced transaction costs, and increased the
profitability of using fertilizer;
• Intense competition in importing and wholesaling;
• Relative profitability of the horticulture market (96%
of horticultural sales is for the domestic market)
thereby raising farmers’ incentives to fertilize maize
intercropped with horticultural crops.
Potential for local/regional manufacturing and bulk
blending
Most of fertilizers used in the country are imported with
the exception of single super phosphate (SSP) which is
manufactured in the country by KEL Chemicals in Thika.
The type and quantity of fertilizers used is dictated by the
importers who determine what to import based on their
own assessment of demand, weather conditions, credit
availability and policy environment. There is noted
interest in the marketing of raw Minjingu phosphate rock
from Tanzania. Potassium has also been noted as an
emerging limiting nutrient under continuous cropping.
Potassium studies in western Kenya created a need for
NPK fertilizers leading one company to produce a NPK
blended fertilizer for sale specifically in Kenya (Kanyajua).
Role of agro-dealers/private sector
To improve food security and achieve desired growth,
there is need to put in a public-private partnership
framework that will raise awareness of technologies and
inputs; improve their use efficiency; lower transactions
of supplying inputs; improve linkages between importers,
wholesalers and retailers and improve economies of scale
in marketing of inputs at wholesale and retail levels. A
survey conducted in Kenya indicated that when average
distances to nearest fertilizer dealer declined from 8 to 4
kms between 1997 and 2004, the volume, quality and
agricultural inputs increased significantly. Sales rose from
125,000 USD in April 2003 to 676,000 in April 2004. The
study further showed that the agro-dealers have become
important conduits connecting the rural poor with local
and multi-national seed, fertilizer and agro-chemical
companies. Thus the development of the agro-dealers is
critical in accelerating the access of quality inputs to the
rural poor
Status of fertilizer information
There is scarcity of data on the fertilizer use and demand
by smallholders, which makes it difficult to assess how
much fertilizer is used by small scale farmers compared to
commercial farmers. Kenya is currently using an average
of 31 kg of fertilizer, which may appear better than most of
the other SSA countries. However, it is not clear as to how
this amount is partitioned between smallholders and
commercial farmers. However, national surveys indicate
that fertilizer use by smallholder farmers is on the decline
while most have stopped using fertilizers altogether or
supplemented them with organic inputs. Evidence indicate
that where fertilizers are still in use, the rates of applications
are far below those recommended.
Human capacity available and needs for research and
development
The national human capacity involved in soil health is
about 500 who are at different levels of education starting
from diploma to postgraduate level in agriculture. Most
of these are limited to the Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI) and the local Universities with few NGOs
focusing on soil health. This number is supplemented by
others in the development sector from the Ministries of
Agriculture and Environment as well as locally based
international Centres (CGIARs).
Available soil fertility restoration technologies ready for
scaling-up
Various technologies/strategies can be drawn from the
Long Term Trial (LTT) at KARI-Kabete conducted for the
last 32 years in addition to various other findings from
experimental plots.
Government policy on soil fertility management
A draft fertilizers policy that identified causes of soil
fertility decline and emerging challenges which were
transferred into policy objectives was prepared and
presented to the Government in 2006. It is also designed
to encourage stakeholders to perform their roles in
collaboration and enable them access factors of production
and apply best management practices. Once passed by
Parliament, the policy document will provide guidelines
on the way forward for the restoration and maintenance
of soil fertility to achieve sustained agricultural production.
The Way Forward on the SHP of AGRA
AGRA has contracted a team of international consultants
to assist in developing a soil health program for Africa.
Drs. Esilaba and Nyambati are working with that team to
develop the program for Kenya.
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