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Investment in agriculture to boost exports

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-03 07:13

Overcoming challenges

Despite the central role agriculture plays in the Kenyan economy, the sector faces challenges in terms of productivity, land use, markets, and value addition.

Productivity is constrained by a number of factors, including high cost seeds and fertilizers, over dependence on rain-fed agriculture, a lack of markets and limited application of technology and innovation.

Under its Vision 2030 scheme, the government is launching investment initiatives in the areas of: fertilizer cost reduction, irrigation intensification and expansion, seed improvement, and livestock development.

Attention is also being given to strengthen producer organizations to enable them to discharge their mandates effectively. This will involve making producer organizations more accountable to farmers who fund them through levies on farm produce.

Incentives will also be given to those farmers investing in energy and water-efficient irrigation systems and technologies.

Agriculture has a crucial role to play in Kenya's future. It will ensure food security, job creation and income generation, foreign exchange earnings and linkages with other sectors. About 80 percent of the country's population derives their livelihoods from this sector and its related activities. It is, therefore, key in addressing poverty, and as such, a vital part of Kenya's new Vision.