Kenyan Governors have strongly opposed the national government’s plans to import 10 million bags of maize.
Speaking on Thursday November 24, 2022, the governor of Kakamega County, Fernandes Barasa, said the move by the national government will hurt millions of farmers.
“Our position is that we are opposed to the importation of maize at a time when our farmers have harvested and have nowhere to sell their produce,” said Barasa.
Barasa who chairs the Council of Governors’ Finance Committee asked the government to instead open the National Cereals and Produce Board stores.
“It is a disservice to Kenyan farmers to import maize, let them be allowed to sell their produce at the NCPB silos at better prices,” he said.
The governor said the primary focus of the government should be to empower farmers across the country through opportunities.
“Flooding the market with cheap imports of GMO maize or other items will greatly impact negatively on the Kenyan farmer,” he said.
President William Ruto’s administration lifted the ban on GMOs and directed the importation of 10 million bags as away of lowing the cost of flour.
The state has claimed that farmers across the country are hoarding maize on speculation of better prices in the coming months.
But Barasa said the reason why farmers are not selling their produce is that the NCPB has not opened their silos with better prices for farmers.
Farmers have complained of high costs of farm inputs, yet the NCPB has not increased prices.
