The Sh10.8 billion fertilizer subsidy program’s success is uncertain, according to a special audit by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu. The program, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in September 2022, aimed to provide affordable fertilizers to farmers. Gathungu’s report revealed a lack of monitoring and evaluation, making it challenging to determine the program’s effectiveness.
As of June 30, 2023, 3,228,491 farmers were registered in the program across 41 counties, and 3,628,530 electronic vouchers were issued. However, the audit found that fertilizer distribution points were not easily accessible, leading to high costs and low uptake in some areas.
The audit sampled 55 fertilizer depots in 17 counties, revealing that 2,348,831 bags of subsidized fertilizer worth Sh10,804,509,000 were distributed. Farmers complained of difficulties accessing the right type of fertilizer, discrepancies in registered acreage versus allocated fertilizer quantity, and some not receiving e-vouchers despite registration.
The special audit was requested by the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly to assess the Sh130 billion spent by the National Government in the financial year 2022/2023, including expenditures on fuel stabilization, flour and fertilizer subsidies, relief food provision, and enhanced security operations. This audit was also part of the Kenya International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility Programmes structural benchmarks, requiring an examination of supplementary budget expenditures for the past three years, including withdrawals under Article 223 of the Constitution.
