Mwea Rice Farmers Face Cold Weather, Snail Invasion and Fertilizer Delays at Start of Planting Season

Rice farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme have raised concerns over a combination of challenges threatening this season’s crop, citing unusually cold weather, a growing snail infestation and delays in accessing subsidized fertilizer as major obstacles at the start of planting.

The farmers say the triple challenge is disrupting field operations and could significantly affect rice production if urgent interventions are not implemented.

Many growers have been forced to change their work routines because of the cold conditions, opting to begin work before sunrise and leave the flooded paddies by mid-morning to avoid prolonged exposure to cold water.

Lucy Njeri, a farmer in the scheme, said the low temperatures have already affected the health of many workers.

“Some of us are developing colds because of working in the cold water. We have to leave the farms by 10 a.m.,” she said.

Beyond the harsh weather, farmers are battling an increasing snail infestation that is destroying young rice seedlings in nurseries, raising fears of reduced plant populations before transplanting. They also reported inconsistent water distribution in parts of the irrigation scheme, complicating field preparation during the critical planting period.

“People see clean rice in the market, but they don’t know the challenges we go through before it reaches consumers. We are dealing with the cold, snails and water shortages,” Njeri added.

Farmers have also expressed frustration over delays in receiving government-subsidized fertilizer despite being registered under the national e-voucher programme. Several growers say they received text messages informing them that fertilizer was available for collection, only to find empty shelves at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots in Mwea and Sagana.

Charles Kinyua and other farmers further questioned the quality of some fertilizer supplied under the subsidy programme, claiming they are now applying up to five 50-kilogram bags per acre instead of the usual three to achieve comparable crop performance.

John Munene urged the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure sufficient stocks of quality fertilizer are delivered before planting progresses further.

“The subsidized fertilizer should be stocked in local stores and it should meet the required quality standards. We are planting without government fertilizer, yet the President is talking about supporting farmers. As Mwea rice farmers, we feel we have been left on our own,” he said.

Munene, Kinyua and fellow farmer James Irungu called on the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Irrigation Authority to prioritize the concerns of rice growers, noting that timely access to inputs and reliable irrigation are essential for maintaining production in Kenya’s largest rice-growing scheme.

The farmers’ concerns come as President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to lowering the cost of agricultural inputs through the fertilizer subsidy programme. Under the initiative, the price of a 50-kilogram bag of fertilizer has been reduced from about Sh7,000 to Sh2,500 to support farmers during both the short and long rain seasons.

Mwea Irrigation Scheme accounts for a significant share of Kenya’s rice production, making its performance critical to national food security. Farmers say prompt action to address the snail outbreak, improve water distribution and ensure the timely supply of quality fertilizer will be crucial to safeguarding this season’s harvest and sustaining rice production in the country.