CS Linturi explains why all farmers should take part in the ongoing registration

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has called on farmers to register with their area chiefs.

CS Linturi assured farmers that the registration exercise across the country is aimed at planning and addressing challenges facing the agricultural sector.

 CS Linturi who was speaking at Igembe on Thursday said the registration is intended in getting a database of all farmers which includes identity, profile, location, crop acreage, and fertilizer requirements among others.

He further noted that over 194,157 farmers have been registered in Meru County.

The Agriculture CS noted that the program will ensure traceability, accountability, and transparency in the implementation of subsidized fertilizer among other farm inputs.

According to CS Linturi, the register will assist the government to know the type of crops the farmers are growing and the total acreage so that they can supply the farmers with sufficient fertilizer among other inputs.

Linturi said the program is aimed at helping farmers increase production, saying the farmers should provide correct information.

He added that the register will also help weed out impostors, middlemen, and rogue traders who have been exploiting farmers.

According to Linturi, the government will invest heavily in sustainable and resilient food systems in a bid to curb food shortage in the Country.

The registration of farmers is in line with President William Ruto’s directive on Household Farmer Registration.

This exercise targets farmers participating in various crop production enterprises.

The registration exercise has been ongoing under the coordination of chiefs and assistant chiefs.

Linturi’s statement comes after claims that a section of farmers is ignorant of the registration exercise by the government.

Small-scale farmers are shying away from the registration process that is ongoing in the country for fear that they could be prosecuted for defaulting loans.

Some of the farmers that did not want their names mentioned said they are afraid that those that have at one time defaulted loans, especially from the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) could be apprehended since the government will have all their details.

Others told County Focus that they are in fear of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) going after their farming ventures once they register.