President William Ruto's initiative to subsidize fertilizer prices to boost agricultural productivity is inadvertently driving some firms out of business. The drastic price reduction, part of a broader strategy to lower the cost of living, aimed to benefit smallholder farmers but has created unforeseen challenges for players in the fertilizer market.

• Fertilizer prices were subsidized from Sh7,000 to an average of Sh2,500.
• The subsidy program began approximately three years ago, coinciding with President William Ruto taking office.
• The intervention primarily targeted smallholder farmers to reduce input costs and increase crop yields, a key measure to address the cost of living.