How costly inputs have choked agricultural sector productivity

The cost of crop production has drastically increased in recent years, straining output for the critical agriculture sector which has equally suffered the effects of drought.

Three years ago, Silper Opiyo, a maize farmer from Muhoroni in Kisumu County, only parted with Sh2,600 for a 50-kilogramme bag of fertiliser. This year, the same purchases have grown by over twofold to Sh6,000 despite the government subsidy programme.