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Agricultural sector is the linchpin of the Kenya economy. The sector contributes directly about 24% and 27% indirectly to the national gross domestic product (GDP). About 70% of the Kenyan population derives their livelihood in this sector which has provided employment to most of the Kenyan youths.
The sector had long been affected by low financial support in the previous regimes until 2008 when the "Vision 2030" document was launched as a blueprint of the country's development whose focus is to create a globally competitive and a prosperous country. On Agriculture, the document was to ensure that we have a disease free zone for our livestock. This was to ensure that we access the international market for hides, skins and meat. The document also aimed at reducing the cost of fertilizers so as to encourage farming.
The document also aimed at creating more dams to aid irrigation i.e. the Tana basin. On the last budget the Government allocated a huge amount of money towards Agriculture, including Irrigation, Payment to coffee farmers, Miraa farmers and much more.
The Government is also coming up with a fertilizer factory in Eldoret that will aid to curb the high prices of fertilizers in Kenya.
My message to the Government is to call for more concentration on this sector as this will ensure employment and food security to our ever increasing Kenyan population.
Food insecurity problems are attributed to several factors, including the frequent droughts in most parts of the country, high costs of domestic food production due to high costs of inputs especially fertilizer, displacement of a large number of farmers in the high potential agricultural areas following the post-election violence which occurred in early 2008, high global food prices and low purchasing power for large proportion of the population due to high level of poverty.
Therefore, it is a collective responsibility for us to ensure we increase our production. Youths are also encouraged to pursue Agricultural courses, as this will help boost the Technical staff. It has been long when most young Kenyans have been taking Agriculture as a punishment and a subject for the lesser but things have turned up; agriculture being one of the most valuable course in the current market. Embrace Agriculture, Agriculture rocks!!
