Migori farmers demand accurate weather forecasts to guide planting decisions

Farmers in Migori County have criticised the Meteorological Department over what they termed unreliable weather forecasts, saying inaccurate predictions were disrupting planting plans and exposing them to financial losses.

The farmers accused meteorological officials of repeatedly giving misleading information about the expected El Niño rains, prompting some to plant crops prematurely only to face prolonged dry spells.

Paul Otieno, a prominent maize farmer from Oyani, said farmers had been waiting for the rains that meteorological experts had predicted would begin this week.

“For the much-predicted El Niño rains this month, some farmers here have dismissed the predictions as hearsay after waiting in vain for the rains that experts said would start this week,” Otieno said.

Speaking to KNA, Otieno urged the government to provide farmers with timely and accurate information about the delayed rainfall to enable them to plan their agricultural activities effectively.

He said weather information should be specific and time-bound to help farmers make informed decisions on when to prepare their land, plant crops, and select appropriate varieties.

“We were told there would be adequate rains within the past one week, and many of us took advantage of the prediction by meteorological officials to prepare and plant our farms, only for the dry spell to continue. This has left us worried about what we have already invested in our fields,” Otieno said.

Otieno, who was accompanied by other farmers from the area, said inconsistent weather patterns were making farming increasingly risky.

William Onyango, another farmer, said the predicted rains had not been evenly distributed across Migori and neighbouring Homa Bay counties, making it difficult for farmers to determine which crops to plant.

He cited Rongo and Opapo as some areas that had received good rains, while parts of Nyatike and Uriri continued to experience dry conditions.

“We fear the rains could come at a time when farmers are no longer enthusiastic about planting after disrupting their plans and exposing them to unimaginable losses,” said Onyango, a farmer from Ongito in Uriri Constituency.

He said some farmers had rushed to plant maize after believing the predicted El Niño rains would arrive, but were now worried that the rains could disappear or remain erratic.

The farmers called for assurance that their investments would not be lost and urged the Government to strengthen support mechanisms for farmers in the event of crop failure.

Meanwhile, the farmers raised concerns over limited markets for agricultural produce, saying the situation had forced many of them to sell their crops at very low prices.

They said the agricultural sector continued to face challenges, including high costs of farm inputs, declining soil fertility and poor market prices, despite Government support and incentives.

The farmers singled out horticultural crops as among the most affected by market challenges and called for the establishment of a fruit-processing plant in the region to create a ready market for locally produced fruits.

The farmers’ concerns come as the Government encourages them to diversify crop production to enhance food security while reducing the cost of agricultural inputs.

The Government recently announced reductions in the prices of subsidised fertiliser and maize seed, with a 50-kilogramme bag of fertiliser reduced from Sh2,500 to Sh2,000, while a two-kilogramme packet of maize seed was reduced from Sh900 to Sh300.

President William Ruto has also emphasised that Kenya has the potential to become self-reliant in food production and exceed its annual targets if farmers take advantage of Government incentives and increase acreage under crops.

The President has said the Government would support farmers by facilitating access to local and international markets for their produce, enabling them to earn better returns and reinvest in agriculture.

He has also urged farmers to take advantage of subsidised fertiliser and certified seeds stocked by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to increase food production.

By George Agimba