BY JOHN MUTUNGA

Farmers were elated to hear Deputy President William Ruto eloquently talk about how the new Government will revolutionalise the agricultural sector during the swearing in ceremony when he and President Uhuru were sworn into office.

To the farmers the new dawn promised by the two leaders when they were campaigning was nigh. It was music to their ears especially coming from DP Ruto whose short tenure as agriculture minister is fondly remembered. As the core contributor to the Kenyan economy, agriculture directly accounts for 25% of national GDP and 27% indirectly.

It is the largest employer in the economy accounting for about 60% of the total employment. Close to 80% of the population in the rural areas derive their livelihood from Agricultural activities. The greatest challenge facing the country’s agriculture is its inability to efficiently compete at the world market level, hence income derived from the sector has continued to decline and by extension so does the national income.

The Jubilee Government in its manifesto promised to start an agricultural revolution. They promised to take the country from the subsistence farming to a state of economic self-sustenance.

Currently, the average farm size for a small scale farmer in Kenya is 2-3ha (5-6 acres). Kenya’s production is predominantly small scale and dependent on rain-fed farming.

This has to change.

One of the key reforms brought about by the constitution (2010) is the devolved system of government whose complete implementation will be gradual. Transfer of power and money will only be effective when the systems have been rightly put in place and there is sufficient capacity.

These required changes could negatively impact on agriculture, and other sectors of the economy, if not well articulated. Agriculture is as unique in every region as the counties, depending on the regional climatic peculiarities and specificities.

The Jubilee Government needs to enlighten Kenyans on how it intends to use the devolved system of government, to organise the agricultural sector differently so that it exudes its power to drive development depending on the region focus.

Economic powerhouse

Despite the knowledge on value of agriculture to Kenya’s economy and with all facts about the sector laid bare, agriculture is faced with several challenges. A major challenge is inaccessibility to agricultural credit.

Several crop and livestock-related institutions have been put in place to address the sector issues. The government should use them to cause a turnaround of the sector.

Proper policies should then be put in place to address lack of capacity and resources.

The recent proposals to agricultural reforms are likely to make the sector less effective, especially due to lack of stakeholder involvement.

Bills that are still pending should be openly discussed amongst the stakeholders to promote ownership and success of their implementation. The newly-elected government should, therefore, address these challenges that have rendered the agriculture sector overly unproductive.

As we seek to transform Kenya into an economic powerhouse in both Africa and the rest of the world, there is need to create an interest in making agriculture the main theme of the Kenyan business.

Agriculture should be made a commercial venture and increase its competitiveness due to globalisation.

The Jubilee Government has been presented with an opportunity to address the issues of Kenya’s agriculture through the devolved system of government by ensuring that they have the right capacity amongst the county governments to restore the extension services which currently stand at a ratio of 1:1470 extension officers to farmers, by employing more extension workers.

Measures that encourage private sector participation in extension provision should be fast tracked.

The new government ought to use the available sector institutions like the Agricultural Finance Corporation, which has been offering credits selectively to instead offer cheap affordable loans to small-scale farmers, who own small pieces of land across the country landscape.

Policies within the country’s agricultural research fraternity could be supporting research into new innovations and technologies that premise the whole value chain approaches.

The farmers, especially the youths who are the most active in agricultural activities should be organised into groups so as to take advantage of the economies of scale. We must mechanise our agriculture else we shall lose out the youthful participation.

Farmers’ organisations should be sharpened and equipped to play their rightful role. Farmer leaders are volunteers who offer essential services to their members, but may not do much under the competing demands.

The government should consider supporting the farmer organisations for effective smallholder operation.

In conclusion, the government has a big role to play in strengthening the agricultural sector.

The farmers, stakeholders and farmer organisations are eager to partner with the newly elected leaders at the national or the devolved level of government in order to deliver to the Kenyan people.

However, in a revolution, ideas, perspectives, resources, processes and operations must be tightly-knit to befit a form and function.

Kenyan agriculture has suffered severe neglect, been treated to multiple emergencies and, has been in and out of development ICU once so often. The game-changer is now new, with renewed vigour and energy, and a promise to deliver. 

Writer is CEO Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers.