Kisii county has earned inclusion among counties benefiting from an electronic government farm input subsidy program.
Area farmers could now access the inputs from an online purchase system, E-Voucher, through their cell phones at the cost of 60% while the government footed the remaining 40%.
The program was launched in Bassi central location, Nyamache sub-county, by Acting Permanent Secretary in the State Department of Crop Development and Agricultural Research, National Value Chain Support Programme, Dr. Francis Owino.
According to the PS, phase one of the program started with 12 counties dealing with English potato, rice, and coffee production before expanding to 25.
Benefits accruing from the E-voucher included fertilizers, agro-chemicals, and herbicides termed by Owino as timely interventions for optimum agricultural production.
The PS challenged farmers to embrace the technology for enhanced crop production noting maize yields under the program had improved from 12 bags per acre to 15 and predicted 20 bags next year.
This comes amid global price complications on inputs such as fertilizers influenced by the war between Russia and Ukraine, the community is produced in large quantities.
Kisii county member of county executive in charge of Agriculture docket Ezman Onsarigo assured the farmers that the government had identified markets for their produce.
The government had also dealt with unscrupulous agro-chemical dealers who sold them fake fertilizers, he disclosed, adding they were now charged with the task of utilizing the program to step up production.
BY MUSA MARANGA