Over the years, the agricultural sector has been and
continues to be the leading sector in Kenya’s economy. Several policies
concerning and dealing with agriculture have been formulated in order to spur
and accelerate growth in the sector. Some of the noticeable policies include the
Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture of 2004 and Vision 2030. The Agricultural
Sector Development Strategy was formulated to cover the period 2010 to 2020.
The main objective of Vision 2030 is to push Kenya towards
the attainment of the middle-income status by the citizens. In this particular
working paper, the manufacturing sector is anticipated to be the leading
sector. However, it is impossible to be able to set up a strong manufacturing
industrial base if a strong foundation in agriculture is not going to be laid
down. It should be noted that agriculture contributes directly 26% of the Gross
Domestic Product and about 25% of GDP indirectly. It also accounts for 65% of
Kenya’s total exports and more than 70% of employment opportunities in rural
areas.
In striving to make strides towards enhancing and promoting
efficiency in the agricultural sector, the government of the day and the would
be successive governments need to pay attention to certain fundamental aspects
without which such efforts would only remain as a mirage. The starting point to
accelerate performance in this sector is by ensuring that budgetary allocation
for the sector is increased not marginally but substantially. Kenya’s
allocation to the agricultural sector in the national budget can be termed as
meager considering that the total allocation for the sector is way below 10% of
the total national budget.
Our previous governments and the current government ought to
peg allocations to the sector on the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food
Security of 2003 formulated under the auspices of the African Union. This
declaration sought to compel the African governments and administrations to at
least have 10% of the total national budget going towards the agricultural
sector. It thus remains imperative that a substantial allocation of funds
towards agriculture will lead to immense growth of the sector.
To establish or to create an enormous manufacturing sector
in Kenya, it is vital to develop agro-based industries in which the latter will
act as a strong base for the establishment of the former. With the presence of
the agro-based industries, other related modern industries will automatically
develop through forward and backward linkages and hence bringing to real
existence of the modern manufacturing industries.
Another fundamental aspect in ensuring efficiency in the
sector is to enhance effective training, research and development programmes.
This can be done by developing the existing agricultural institutions by
ensuring the curricula and programmes offered are up to date and the usage of
the latest but appropriate technology in training the manpower. These days,
some regions hardly have the field officers attending to the needs of the
farmers. This situation has created a gap that has consequently led to low
production and poor quality products.
In addition, genetically modified and engineered organisms
need to be introduced if we are yearning to increase our levels of production
and to boost our food security. However, this should be strictly on the crops
and not on the animals. Genetically modified crops mature faster and their
yields are also high and from my own viewpoint, this would initiate better food
security, high surplus which will lead to increased exports. It should be noted
that the introduction of such crops is subject to a sober and mature debate.
Most importantly, injecting efficiency in the agricultural
state corporations is a key aspect towards the realization of the Agricultural
Sector Development Strategy and the overall improvement of the sector. Most of
these problems have been affected by the maladministration syndrome which has
caused most of them to be run-down. A general and thorough audit of these firms
needs to be carried out to determine the various strategies to be executed in
order to ensure they have par performance in their operations.
To increase the market surplus, the small holder farmers
need to access agricultural credit very easily and cheaply. Banks and other
financial institutions need to reduce their conditionalities on loans and other
inputs that they offer to the farmers. This will increase the capital base of
the farmers and with proper management contribute towards high yields. A lot of
emphasis should be laid on the small scale or small holder farmers as they form
the largest bulk of farmers nationwide.
Furthermore, reducing reliance on rain-fed agriculture is
another vital aspect which this working paper seeks to deal with. This has an
implication that a lot of irrigation needs to be done. The present government
has made a significant step towards allocating some funds towards several
irrigation projects notably the A Million Acre Scheme in order to increases the
yields and promote food security. However, the government needs to be at the
fore-front in ensuring that the aquifers in Turkana County are drilled so that
water for irrigation is easily available. Also other arid and semi-arid
lands(ASALs) should also be effectively utilized in agricultural terms through
the practical use of technology and irrigation.
In conclusion, the bottomline for actualization of the
Agricultural Sector Development Strategy remains increasing the budgetary allocation towards the sector.
Without having enough finances, then realizing all the other strategies put in
place to improve the sector would remain all but a dream.
