Francis Wambugu Irungu Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua has moved to shield farmers in his county from exploitation by brokers and middlemen, calling on the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to intervene in the long-standing crisis affecting agricultural producers in the region.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Senator Wambua painted a grim picture of the challenges facing Kitui farmers, noting that despite agriculture being the backbone of most households in the county, poor market access continues to leave growers vulnerable to unscrupulous intermediaries who dictate prices at the expense of hardworking farmers.
“Due to limited access to markets, inadequate storage facilities, insufficient market information, and weak bargaining power, many farmers are compelled to sell their produce at unfairly low prices. This significantly reduces their incomes and undermines agricultural productivity and sustainability,” the Senator told the House.
Senator Wambua is seeking a formal statement from the Committee outlining the measures the Government has put in place to protect farmers from broker exploitation during the marketing of agricultural produce. He stressed that the current situation, where intermediaries control the supply chain, has left many farming families unable to make meaningful returns from their labour.
The lawmaker also pressed the Government on efforts to strengthen agricultural cooperatives and farmer organisations, arguing that empowering such bodies would enhance collective bargaining and secure more favourable prices for producers. He noted that without organised structures, individual farmers remain powerless against well-resourced brokers.
On infrastructure, Senator Wambua sought clarity on what interventions are being implemented to improve access to storage facilities, market information systems, and post-harvest support services, gaps that he said continue to force farmers into rushed, below-market sales.
The Senator further urged the Government to accelerate steps toward establishing direct market linkages between farmers and buyers, a move he argued would significantly raise farm-gate prices while reducing the county’s over-reliance on exploitative intermediaries who pocket the bulk of agricultural profits.
The matter has since been committed to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries for further action and a formal government response.
