Task Force wants funds for agriculture sector increased to Sh109b

A task force reviewing laws and policies in the agricultural field wants the sector's budgetary allocation increased to at least 10 per cent of the overall national budget.

The task force on the agriculture policy also wants national and county governments to promote restructuring of agricultural financing to the lowest levels of devolved units.

Task Force Chairperson Beatrice King'ori told the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Mombasa last week that the policy seeks to have the two levels of government provide for crops, livestock and fisheries commodity stabilisation funds.

"The national government will restructure and transform the Agricultural Finance Corporation to widen its lending scope consistent with the socio-economic and cultural status at county level," King'ori explained.

The policy seeks to have national and county governments provide incentives to financial institutions to give loans to farmers.

The Maputo Declaration made by African Union members in 2013 sought to have African countries raise allocations for agriculture to at least 10 per cent of their national budgets.

The 10 per cent allocation would have ensured that the agriculture sector in Kenya received at least Sh109 billion in the 2014-2015 financial year instead of 6.61 per cent or Sh71.8 billion of the Sh1.086 trillion total budget.

Acting Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed presented to the House committee the National Agriculture Policy, National Veterinary Policy, National Irrigation Policy, National Irrigation Bill, Warehouse Receipts Bill and Warehouse Receipts System Bill.

He said the agricultural sector policies under discussion address food security, irrigation, water and land use practices, safe biotechnology, child labour and post-harvest losses.