Revamp agriculture to fight hunger, famine
It goes without saying that if the government hopes to ease the pain of biting drought it must implement far-reaching reforms in agriculture.
The sector is not only a potentially huge enabler of economic growth, but if well structured, it can employ more people than it currently is, feed the nation and create surplus produce for export.
Data shows that the sector continues to play a critical role in the economy, accounting for an estimated 20 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employing more than 40 per cent of Kenyans. To its credit, the sector employs more than 70 per cent of the rural population although it is dogged by perennially low wages, which, if improved, can alleviate rural poverty.
That is why President William Ruto was on point yesterday during the Mashujaa Day celebrations when he called the sector the driver of Kenya’s economic transformation.
While farmers need support to access quality seeds, affordable fertiliser and pesticides and extension services to improve farming, they will need more resources to move from rain-fed farming. That means investments need to be made in water harvesting technologies at both public and private levels.
Any serious transformation in the country’s agriculture must be made with an eye on making water harvesting and storage a top priority of this agenda. While at it, the plan to have fertiliser manufactured locally should be implemented sooner rather than later as this will help to significantly cut the cost of farming.
The good news is that a call for public-private partnerships to construct at least 100 dams targeting three million acres of arable land has been initiated. While at it, the State should quickly audit the 57 dams, which gobbled up billions and map out their capacities and proceed to utilise those that are ready. This way, farmers will be empowered to embark on irrigation at both low-scale and high-scale levels.
Going forward, the government ought to actualise the old Maputo declaration which urged governments to commit to the allocation of at least 10 per cent of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development. This will go a long way in improving lives and livelihoods in rural areas by tapping agriculture to stimulate wealth creation.
Therefore, if the private sector is empowered and the government increases revenue to the sector, Kenyans will be empowered to move from rain-fed farming. This is the surest way to put the country on the road to eradicating hunger.
