In a significant move to enhance the nation’s agricultural sector, the Kenyan Government has announced plans to transform 2 million farmers from food deficit to surplus producers. This initiative, part of the government’s agricultural agenda, focuses on increasing productivity in key value food chains through input finance and intensive agricultural extension support.
According to Kenya News Agency, During a media launch for the upcoming Financing Agriculture Sustainably Conference (FINAS 2024), scheduled for March 2024, Dr. Paul Rono, Principal Secretary at the State Department of Agriculture, outlined the government’s ambitious goals. According to Dr. Rono, the government aims to reduce dependence on basic food imports by 30 percent and increase domestic production of various crops such as oil crops, rice, and underperforming or collapsed export crops. These efforts are also intended to expand emerging agricultural sectors.
Dr. Rono emphasized the overdue need for a conversation on agricultural investment and funding to position Kenya better for transforming its agricultural sector and involving all relevant actors. He highlighted the government’s commitment to providing farmers with adequate, affordable working capital, modern agricultural risk management tools, and predictable income.
The PS noted that the timing of the conference is critical as Kenya, like many other countries in the region, faces unprecedented challenges in agri-food systems due to climate change impacts, global conflicts, and the aftermath of COVID-19. The government’s focus on funding agriculture is evident in its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), and it is currently developing a 10-year agriculture master plan (2024-2034). This plan aims to enhance investment in food production and implement the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS 2019 -2029), envisioning a private sector contributing up to 80 percent of the National Agricultural Investment Plan.
Dr. Rono also mentioned that current programmes and initiatives under ASTGS are concluding, prompting the development of new ones aligned with BETA.
During the launch, Council of Governors (COG) CEO, Mary Mwiti, stressed the importance of counties in addressing challenges that hinder farmers’ access to development funds. She emphasized the role of counties in facilitating credit access, establishing farmer-centric policies, and collaborating with national and local governments, financial institutions, and farming communities.
Mwiti also highlighted the need to focus on reducing agricultural risks through crop insurance, price stabilization, increasing credit accessibility, and promoting sustainable practices through research and development investment.
The two-day FINAS 2024 conference will bring together various stakeholders to discuss financing the agricultural sector through appropriate models, with a focus on climate adaptation and mitigation funding instruments in agriculture.