MAIZE SEED SCARCITY

BY LUKE KAPCHANGA KITALE

MAIZE SEED SCARCITY TO CREATE FOOD INSECURITY :

The disappearance of  maize seed  on the market, spells danger.

There was a general outcry by farmers as planting season arrived, as they could not find farm implements on the market.

More painful to farmers was shortage of maize seed, which does well in their respective regions.

“Lack of required support from the government and unreliable rainfall is the major cause of seed shortage in the country”, remarked Samuel Nyongi Chumo

Chumo who says, has been a contracted maize seed farmer for the past 10 years, adds, “ farmers are on their own, the agriculture people have no idea what farmers want, at what time and in what quantity”.

Inspecting the maize seed crop, he displays dissatisfaction the way it is doing, complaining that he was not able to feed enough.

“When you stand here, the maize speaks do you that we have eaten but not satisfied , which can be translated into less production”, he says.

He explained that it was no longer profitable to be a contracted maize seed farmer , with the state corporation Kenya seed company.

He says lack of farm inputs at the required time, has forced more farmers to move out of framing and nobody seem to be aware.

This sentiments were supported by John Wafula 64, of Mautuma in Lugari district, who says he gave up planting after failing to get farm implements on time.

“The ministry of agriculture is dysfunctional .It has no working plan and most of the extension officers themselves go hungry”, he said.

Wafula , said he abandoned planting his two acre plot, when he could not find fertilizers and seeds, after spending considerable money in land preparation.

Chumo who grows 100 acres of maize seed, mostly on leased plots of land, accuse the government of not having any plans to ensure that the implements are available on time.

Reacting to the seed shortage outcry, Chumo who is one of the prominent farmers in Trans-Nzoia county, supported fears of low yields this year, which will worsen the vicious cycle of food insecurity.

Kenya seed company is mandated to avail certified seed to farmers, and controls almost 80% of the market share in the country.

For the past 10 years, Mr. Chumo has been a farmer, he has never seen an agricultural extension officer on his farm.

“As a matter of fact, I do not know this extension officers, and their work”. He complained.

He dismissed the reports by ministry of agriculture , saying farmers are never consulted nor their views sought, now anything to do with the reports must of 20 years ago.

Because, he maintained , the fertilizer can not be supplied in April when planting was done in late February.

“To prove it, this is May, yet fertilizer for top dressing is not on the market and when you go to this agriculture offices you will be told that we are arranging to bring”.

This can only be jokers not government experts, because they do not understand what is required to improve the food security in the country.

Another issue, is subdivision of land which used to produce maize seed into small plots for settlement.

The government he notes, should get involved to assist families not to subdivide the land, knowing that it becomes uneconomical for seed production.

At Amogoro farm, where use leases out 50 acres to plant maize seed, most of his colleagues have pulled out due to frustrations and lack of support.

Most of the framers lack access to loan facilities, and when available the process is frustrating to endure.

One farmer who declined to be named, claimed that, Kenya seed company, is slow in processing payments to contracted farmers, hence making them unable to pay for the services rendered on the farm.

The seed company is accused of not being open, and staffs giving wrong information at times, and can take upto 6 months to get paid after delivering the products.

Evalyne Nakhungu 48, on her 2 acre piece of land in Webuye, is not bothered by out cry of maize seed shortage.

The mother of 9 and 5 grand children all depending on the farm for food production, says she plants the preserved seeds from the previous harvest.

“After every harvest , I chose the best cobs, which I preserve as seed, and it very simple and I have no time for this hybrid things”, she said.

Adding that , she can not change her favorite variety, locally called NO.8, her problem was geeting fertilizer.

This year , Nakhungu plantedmaize without fertilizer, and standing on the farm, a section of the maize was flowering, and most of the crop, just under the knee.

When asked about the difference in height, she attributed it to the rains.

With the fast planting after the rains, germination was not good, and after some waiting, she decided to replace.

To curb it all, she has never seen an extension officer on her farm nor any assistance from the government .

In April , the Kenya seed company said that it has put in place measures to ensure that seed shortage does not occur again.

The company said mitigation measures included expanding production through irrigation, building of strategic seed reserves and offering incentives to framers and had increased area under seed production to 40,000acres up from 20,000 acres.

It however assured framers of having sufficient maize seed for medium, dry land and coastal zones.

Seed shortages which sparked fears of low yields, was lack of favorite varieties missing on markets, as farmers were waiting to be supplied with the right type.

In places like Central province, farmers were ready to plant yet the available seeds were not appropriate for the region, and there was no professional advice.

Maize is the overwhelming national staple crop in Kenya. It is a predominant crop grown across most livelihoods, even in agro-ecological zones that are not suitable for production.

According to the ministry of agriculture, area put under maize is about 1.8million hectares annually. The long rains season is the most important with respect to maize production, accounting for 85% of the annual maize output.

The forecast on maize production for 2011 by the ministry puts a shortfall in output.

An estimated 2.8mllion metric tones of maize is expected to be harvested during the year 2010/2011 production season.

Making the cumulative output below the short term average of about 3.0million metric tones, against annual consumption estimated to be 3.4million metric tones.

The ministry’s planning is pecked on hope that the shortfall will be covered by carryover stock and cross boarder imports through June.

The government , while addressing underlying factors causing food insecurity in the country, puts emphasis on faring activity in pastoral and marginal agricultural areas.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS , is also mentioned as an underlying factor among farmers and Lakeshore districts for being subjected to floods, which limits investments in productive activities.

On extension services, the ministry has the directorate of National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy( NASEP), whose role to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.

The extension services policy, is said to adopt performance management practices, which are result oriented, participatory and innovative.

The services include collecting, packaging and disseminating agricultural information and technology to farmers .Farmers are required to participate in decision making and provide feedbacks.

This participation is what Chumo , complains is lacking and their concerns are not sought to have farm implements’ supplied before land preparation starts.

In early May, the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives pointed an accusing finger at former managers of the seed company for causing the shortage.

The committee chairman John Mututho, said that former management had reduced the production of basic seed maize by 50% resulting in the shortage.

Mututho maintained ,revealed that over 20,000 metric tones of seed maize was sold as commercial maize between 2008/2009.

Another 27million metric tones of strategic seed reserve was sold to Rwanda and Southern Sudan, allegedly without express consultations with ministry officials.