Rift maize farmers stare at losses as crops dry up

A farm in Trans Nzoia county where the maize crop has withered due to failed rains

Maize farmers in the high-producing counties of the North Rift are staring at heavy losses and a possible food crisis.

This follows a prolonged failure of rains that has severely affected the crop. The rains have failed since farmers planted about a month ago.

Maize crops on most farms have withered and are drying up. Farmers fear this could be one of the worst seasons in many years.

Some farmers are already considering uprooting the crop and turning it into animal feed instead of incurring total losses.

The worst-affected areas include Trans Nzoia, where county Agriculture executive Phanice Khatundi says an estimated 50,000 acres of maize have already been destroyed by the hot weather.

“We have over 250,000 acres under maize in Trans Nzoia, and much of it has already dried up. We are staring at the worst food crisis in many years,” Khatundi said.

She visited a number of affected farmers, who expressed fears of suffering heavy losses as a result of the failed rains.

Most maize farms are at the top-dressing stage and many farmers had already purchased top-dressing fertiliser, which cannot be applied without rain.

“We are shocked by the failure of the rains and, as it stands, little can be salvaged even if the rains return soon. Much of the crop has been extensively damaged,” farmer John Obuchi said.

Farmers in neighbouring Uasin Gishu and Kakamega counties have also been affected, with some praying for divine intervention to bring rain and restore hope for food production.

In Lugari constituency, farmer Jane Sitati said they had invested heavily in planting and that many would not return to their farms even if the rains resumed.

“Most farmers completely exhausted the little money they had during planting, and now it appears everything will go to waste. We are stuck and can only pray for God’s intervention,” she said.

In Uasin Gishu, farmers' representative Kipkorir Menjo said the situation was critical as the rains had failed amid other challenges, including a shortage of top-dressing fertiliser.

He said farmers hoped the rains would return as soon as possible so that part of the crop could be salvaged.

Menjo said farmers were expected to meet at the NCPB depot in Eldoret to discuss some of the challenges they were facing.

Another farmer, Caleb Korir, said the failed rains had worsened the situation for farmers who had already incurred heavy production costs during the recent planting season.