Trust
Know what you are putting on your soil.
Organic fertilizer is only worth buying if it is what the bag says it is. This page explains the rules in plain language and gives you simple checks for buying and for testing compost yourself.
When the label can’t be trusted
In 2024, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) publicly warned about an “organic fertilizer” brand it said did not meet the national standard for organic fertilizer, and said it was not part of the government subsidy programme. KEBS later withdrew the manufacturer’s standardisation mark and recalled its products after investigating.
One farmer told reporters she trusted the product because it carried the KEBS mark, and that her crops stagnated and she lost money. The lesson is not that every product is bad. It is that a label alone is not proof, and checking is worth the effort.
SOURCES: CITIZEN DIGITAL (MARCH 2024); EASTLEIGH VOICE; K24 TV
What the law and standards say
The law
The Fertilizers and Animal Foodstuffs Act (Cap 345) regulates the manufacture and sale of fertilizers in Kenya. It treats manure and compost as fertilizer when they are sold.
The standard
KEBS publishes a specification for organic fertilizers, KS 2290. Among other things it requires that product be practically free of foul smell, stay within maximum permitted contaminant levels and be free of harmful pathogens.
Standards are changing. Reports say an East African organic fertilizer standard has been gazetted to replace the current Kenyan one, but was not yet in operation at the time of reporting. Ask KEBS which edition and standard apply when you buy or produce.
SOURCES: KEBS DRAFT KS 2290:2023 (WTO); CGIAR BIO-FERTILIZER REGULATION BRIEF; KENYA NEWS AGENCY
Eight checks before you buy
- Read the label. It should name the product type, ingredients, manufacturer, contact details and a batch number.
- Ask for the KEBS permit number and confirm it with KEBS directly. Don’t rely on a mark printed on the bag.
- Ask for a lab analysis of the batch showing nutrient content and contaminant levels.
- Check that the product matches what was tested. Samples shown to regulators are not always what is sold.
- Look, feel and smell. Good compost is dark, crumbly and earthy. Avoid anything that smells foul or looks like plain soil or sand.
- Be wary of big promises such as “one bag replaces a whole season of fertilizer”, or prices far below the market.
- Buy sealed, labelled bags from a seller you can find again.
- Trial it first. Test a small plot alongside an untreated plot before committing your whole farm.
Four simple compost tests
- SmellFinished compost smells earthy and pleasant. Sour, rotten or ammonia smells mean it is not ready.
- Look and feelDark, crumbly, with no recognisable food scraps. A few woody bits are fine.
- TemperatureA finished heap stays near air temperature. If it heats up again after turning, it is still working.
- Germination testSow quick seeds such as beans or cress in a mix of your compost and in plain soil. If they sprout and grow well in the compost mix, it is mature enough to use.
These tests catch common problems, not contaminants such as heavy metals. Only a lab can check those.
How we choose what we recommend
The organic fertilizers and inputs sold through Shamba Mtaani come from other suppliers. Before we list a product, we aim to see:
- A clear label with ingredients, manufacturer and batch details
- Valid certification where the law requires it
- Lab results for the product on request
- Claims we can support, with no promises we can’t
If a product doesn’t meet these, we don’t recommend it. If you find a problem with something you bought, tell us and report it to KEBS.
Quick glossary
Organic fertilizer
A fertilizer made from natural materials such as manure, compost, green manure, bone meal or similar, rather than manufactured chemicals.
Compost
Well-decomposed organic waste, such as plant residues and animal manure, used as a fertilizer or soil improver.
Maturity
How fully compost has finished breaking down. Immature compost can harm seedlings and tie up nitrogen.
Browns and greens
Browns are dry, carbon-rich materials like straw and dry leaves. Greens are wet, nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps and fresh manure.
KS 2290
The Kenya Standard that sets requirements for organic fertilizers, published by KEBS.
Standardisation mark
The KEBS mark showing a product has been certified against a Kenya Standard. It should be verified, not just trusted on sight.
Questions about a product?
Send us the label or the lab report and we will tell you what we can see.