Counties

Floods drain farmers' hopes in North Rift

farm

Farmers plant maize at a farm in Kipkorgot, Uasin Gishu County on April 12, 2018. Cereal and horticultural farmers in the North Rift region are counting huge losses after several acres of the crop were submerged by heavy flooding. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Cereal and horticultural farmers in the North Rift region are counting huge losses after several acres of their crop and produce were submerged by heavy flooding.

Wheat farmers in the region have suspended planting the crop after machinery were rendered immobile in the farms.

“Wheat production is a mechanical process and the rain has made it impossible to move in the farms, delaying planting process of the crop and subjecting us to huge losses,” said Wilson Kosgei, a wheat farmer from Moiben Uasin Gishu County.

The rains have also interrupted application of top-dressing fertiliser on maize due to leaching of nutrients by the rains.

Horticulture farmers cannot access markets after floods made most roads impassable.

Market access

“Some of the crops have been submerged by floods and rendered roads impassable to access market for the produce,” said Lilian Jeptoo, a horticulture farmer from Sambalat, Marakwet East Sub-County.

Several acres of tomatoes, vegetables and passion fruit have been swept by water in Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans-Nzoia and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties.

The weatherman has warned of continued rains, which will add misery to the farmers who are harvesting ongoing in most parts of the region.

Agriculture experts and farmers in the region have expressed fears of reduced yields, with the rains threatening to damage more than 40 per cent of the crop.