Kenya's agricultural sector is undergoing a significant transformation, with the government working to lower the cost of inputs, increase productivity, and improve returns to farmers. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, speaking at the Agricultural and Food Security Transformation Summit in Nairobi, emphasized that reducing the cost of farming has been a central component of the government's agricultural agenda over the past four years. The summit, held at the Jamhuri Park ASK Showground, brought together stakeholders to discuss the country's agricultural progress and future plans.
The government's decision to prioritize agriculture in its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda is driven by the sector's importance to household incomes, food security, employment, industrial production, and exports. According to Kindiki, "When agriculture works, Kenya works," highlighting the sector's critical role in the country's economy. The government has implemented several measures to reduce the cost of inputs, including lowering the price of fertilizer from KSh7,000 per bag in 2022 to KSh2,000. Additionally, the price of certified maize seed has been reduced by 50%, from KSh300 to KSh150 per kilogram.
The cost of sexed semen for artificial insemination of dairy cows has also decreased significantly, from KSh8,000 to KSh1,400 per dose. These interventions aim to make production more affordable and enable farmers to increase output. The results of these efforts are already evident in several agricultural value chains. For example, maize production has risen from 34 million bags to 75 million bags, while milk production has increased from 4.6 billion liters to 5.2 billion liters.
The government has also seen improvements in milk prices, which have risen from between KSh35 and KSh37 per liter in 2022 to about KSh50 currently. Coffee farmers have also benefited, receiving between KSh120 and KSh150 per kilogram, up from between KSh50 and KSh60 per kilogram in 2022. However, Kindiki noted that the transformation is not yet complete, with continued challenges in rice and wheat production. Kenya still imports a large portion of its wheat requirements, making increased domestic production a priority.
To address these challenges, the government will continue to work on lowering the cost of inputs, including livestock feed, while increasing productivity across agricultural value chains. The goal is to move farmers from subsistence production to commercially viable enterprises. Kindiki emphasized that the ultimate measure of success will be whether farmers earn more, Kenyan families have access to affordable food, young people find jobs and enterprises in agriculture, industries obtain locally produced raw materials, and Kenya earns more from what it produces.
The government's agricultural transformation agenda is built around a simple economic equation: lower the cost of production, increase productivity, and ensure that a greater share of the value created reaches the farmer. Millions of Kenyans who depend on farming and livestock keeping will benefit from these efforts. The transformation of the agricultural sector is critical to Kenya's economic growth and development.
As the government continues to implement its agricultural transformation agenda, stakeholders will be watching closely to see if the efforts yield the desired results. With the right policies and interventions in place, Kenya's agricultural sector has the potential to drive economic growth, improve food security, and increase incomes for farmers and rural communities. The government's commitment to prioritizing agriculture and supporting farmers is a positive step towards achieving these goals.
Key points
- The Kenyan government has reduced the cost of fertilizer from KSh7,000 to KSh2,000 per bag and decreased the price of certified maize seed by 50%.
- Maize production has increased from 34 million bags to 75 million bags, while milk production has risen from 4.6 billion liters to 5.2 billion liters.
- The government aims to move farmers from subsistence production to commercially viable enterprises and build a productive, competitive, and resilient agricultural economy.
