Crop theft undermines Kenya's agricultural investments

Tomatoes in a green house. [File, Standard]

The agricultural sector is the backbone of Kenya's economy and is one of the surest solutions to the increasing levels of unemployment, alleviating poverty, and improving food security. The sector contributes nearly 33 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs over 40 per cent of Kenya's total population, with 70 per cent of the population living in rural and peri-urban areas.

Agriculture has been identified as one of the central sectors crucial in Kenya's journey to becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 in line with Vision 2030 and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).