Kenya: Ruto, Blinken Hold Talks On Fertilizer Crisis

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_101081" align="alignnone" width="750"] Blinken and Ruto[/caption] Kenya’s President William Ruto on Monday held talks with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The two leaders deliberated on the fertilizer crisis that has hit the East African nation. The fertilizer talks came in less than two weeks after the Kenyan government flagged off subsidized fertilizers in various parts of the country. "The national treasury has availed Ksh3.55billion ($29.4 million); under this program, the government, through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), will make available 1.4million bags of 50Kg of fertilizer to farmers during the ongoing short rains season and prices as tabulated," said Ruto’s deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. According to Agriculture Principal Secretary Francis Owino, the subsidized fertilizer will be distributed first to farmers in areas experiencing short rains. Fertilizer is sourced nationwide through the depots and sub-depots of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). In a statement, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price added that the two also discussed the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia. At the same time, Blinken thanked Ruto for Kenya’s support for the UN Security Council resolution denouncing Russia’s sham referenda in Ukraine and Kenya’s commitment to upholding international law.