What are the objectives of agricultural policy in Kenya? Background and examples

What are the objectives of agricultural policy in Kenya? At its core, agricultural policy aims to boost productivity and promote income growth, particularly for small-scale farmers. But, what factors shape these policies, and how do they impact the day-to-day lives of Kenyan farmers?

Did you know that agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy? The government has been involved in supporting farmers’ livelihoods and food security through agricultural policies. They address different agricultural challenges by giving guidelines to the national and county governments.

What are the objectives of agricultural policy in Kenya?

Agricultural policies aim to improve the living conditions of the rural population while seeking to reduce environmental impacts. Below are some of the objectives of national agricultural policy in Kenya.

• Enhancing food security and a reduction in the number of those suffering from hunger.
• Pursuing commercial agriculture by increasing and diversifying agricultural production using appropriate, good quality and affordable inputs.
• Encouraging diversification into non-traditional agricultural commodities and value addition to reduce vulnerability.
• Promoting demand-driven research and timely dissemination of research findings in the agricultural sector.
• Ensuring environmental sustainability.
• Reducing post-harvest losses of agricultural produce and products.
• Emphasising irrigation to reduce over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture in the face of limited high-potential agricultural land.
• Promote sustainable natural resource use and management for agriculture.
• Guarantee the safety of agricultural produce and products.
• Promote access to domestic, regional and international markets.
• Harnessing resources for improved agricultural output in partnership with the private sector and introducing appropriate financing and insurance systems in the agricultural sector.
• Protecting and conserving bio-diversity that is supportive of sustainable agriculture.

What is agricultural policy?

According to OECD ilibrary, agricultural policy describes the laws, instruments and measures related to the domestic farm sector and trade in agricultural products. It encompasses a wide range of issues, including providing sufficient food at reasonable prices for consumers, securing food safety and improving environmental quality.

Background of agricultural policy in Kenya

Pre-independence

Kenyan agriculture had a bimodal structure under British colonial agricultural policy. The best land was reserved for European ownership and used to produce commercial crops for export. The main crops were coffee and tea. However, African farmers were part of a subsistence sector that produced mainly food products.

These farmers were excluded from the best farmland, from producing profitable cash crops and from keeping improved livestock breeds. Their average subsistence holding was 2 hectares, compared with the European farm of about 800 hectares. Fortunately, the Mau Mau rebellion drove the change in policy, allowing African farmers to own individual land.

The farmers were now encouraged to produce cash crops and livestock. Smallholders rapidly adopted the production of coffee, livestock, and tea. Other policy changes instituted were the expansion of credit and the reorientation of research, extension, and marketing organisations.

Post-independence

Agricultural policy was an essential part of economic policy in the post-independence period. Its main elements were the promotion of cash crop cultivation and land transfer programmes to change the ownership structure from that under colonial rule.

Other policy changes that took place in the immediate post-independence period included projects in integrated rural development and livestock production in arid and semi-arid areas. However, output growth from these was limited, and policies continued to favour large farms, export crops, and farming in high-potential areas.

What are the agricultural policies in Kenya?

Agricultural policies entail government decisions that influence the level and stability of input and output prices, costs and revenues and resource allocation. These policies affect agriculture either directly or indirectly. Some of the examples of agricultural policies in Kenya include:

• The National Phytosanitary Policy 2023
• The Kenya Agricultural Sector Extension Policy 2023
• Sugar Industry Revitalization Policy 2023
• Agricultural Soil Management Policy 2023
• National Agricultural Insurance Policy 2024
• The National Agricultural Mechanisation Policy 2023

Why is the agricultural policy important to farmers?

Agricultural policies in Kenya address various challenges that farmers encounter. Some of these challenges include:

• Poor and outdated technology hinders the process of agricultural products into high-value products, leading to limited access to breeds with high yield potentials.
• Inadequate financing and related activities. – Inaccessibility to credit, especially for small-scale farmers, has limited the range of activities and the type of technology used.
• Poor and inadequate rural infrastructure. – Poor rural roads, markets, and transport systems result in high transaction costs for farmers, hence the inaccessibility of input and output markets.
• Limited exploitation of the livestock sector. – Framers in Kenya face recurrent droughts that lead to massive losses in livestock.

What are the ways in which government policy improves agricultural production?

Government policies in Kenya provide extension services, irrigation investments, rural infrastructure, and input subsidies. They also influence the costs, revenues and allocation of resources. As a result, this improves productivity and increases farmers’ incomes.

What is the Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development?

It is a policy research institute under the Division of Research and Extension of Egerton University. The institute conducts policy research, outreach, and advocacy and monitors trends and patterns in rural livelihoods.

Wrapping Up

What are the objectives of agricultural policy in Kenya? As seen above, agricultural policies revolve around ensuring food security and environmental sustainability, among other goals. If Kenya aligns these objectives with the needs of farmers, a more resilient agricultural sector is guaranteed.