The Iringa Municipal Council, has had to use its tractor to sweep the garbage to distribute fertilizer for planting to its farmers who are supposed to benefit from subsidized inputs in this farming season.

The information released today by the Member of Parliament for Iringa City Jesca Msambatavangu in the Regional Consultative Session (RCC), shows that the decision was made after some agents entered the trees for various reasons including the small profit they get in the business and thus affecting the supply of fertilizers for farmers.

"There are many challenges including the use of technology.

Ladies come to town to look for fertilizer and they don't get it on time because of the use of technology, we ask the ministry to be ready to receive advice so that these challenges are met," he said and emphasized that the problem of delivering fertilizer to farmers is very big.

The information given by the Regional Head of Iringa, Halima Dendego in the meeting shows that until now only between 30 and 33 percent of the fertilizer for planting has reached the farmers, while there is a large load in the warehouses to store these products.

"I started receiving complaints from MPs complaining that their farmers lack fertilizer.

But the information shows that the fertilizers are available but there is a problem with distribution, when we asked some agents they complained that their payment was late," he said.

He said that after receiving the information, they submitted it to the government and the procedures to pay the agents are already underway.

In addition, the Regional Commissioner criticized the extension officers saying that most of them fail to fulfill their duties because they have turned themselves into executives to be followed in the office instead of following the farmers.

In addition to fertilizers, he said it is the duty of every leader in his area to ensure that his farmers are reached by services, in order to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector so that it brings more relief to the people and stimulates their economy.

At that time, the Regional Commissioner said that the annual income of a person in Iringa region has increased from Sh 3.5 million in 2015 to Sh 4 million in 2020.

In addition, the income of the region as a whole has increased from Sh 3.5 Trillion in 2015 to Sh 4.6 Trillion in 2020, the increase being attributed to the growth of tea cultivation, forest products, animal husbandry and various industries including dairy, food and processing of forest products.