Kenyans urged to diversify food production

Nairobi; Kenya: Kenyans have been urged to diversify food production and consumption by adopting drought-resistant crops, upland rice, livestock and fish farming.

Livestock Principal Secretary Fred Sergor also appealed to farmers to join production and marketing or commercial village groups to enable them receive support and training in good agricultural practices, post-harvest management and marketing.

“When Kenyans come together, sourcing and accessing inputs and other services becomes more efficient and effective as they attract more buyers and are in a better position to bargain for good produce prices,” the PS livestock said.

Prof Sergor was speaking on the sidelines of the 2014 World Food Day Celebrations and International Year of Family Farming in Tharaka Nithi County, where he represented Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Cabinet Secretary, Felix Koskei.

The World Food Day commemorates the founding of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945 and is observed in more than 150 countries all over the world.

In his speech, Koskei said traditional food crops such as sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes, cassava, pigeon peas, cowpeas, green grams and dolichos have been pivotal in ensuring food self-sufficiency in many poor households. He, however, lamented that the availability of high quality seeds remains a challenge in the promotion of production and consumption of these crops.

“In order to mitigate against lack of high quality seeds of traditional crops, the ministry initiated the Traditional High Value Crops (THVC) Programme in 2006 with the main aim of improving access to quality seeds of traditional high value and drought-tolerant crops through community seed multiplication.

Since its inception, the programme has distributed a total of 5,439 metric tonnes of assorted drought-tolerant seeds, 15,405,329 sweet potato vines, and 15,939,110 cassava cuttings, all valued at over Sh1.35 billion. These have been distributed to over 2.5 million farmers in over 101 sub-counties.

“This season the Government will distribute 199 metric tonnes of assorted drought tolerant seed 25,500 cassava cuttings and 50,000 sweet potato vines to 11 counties and 30 sub counties. The total value is Sh30,095,000’, he said.

Saying that food security remains a priority objective for the country, Mr Koskei said adequate measures were in place to ensure sustainable food security in the country.

“In this financial year, the ministry was allocated Sh36.981 billion for boosting food production. The funds are directed to key flagship projects of the Jubilee Government including irrigation, input subsidy, strategic grain reserve, water harvesting, fisheries and livestock development,” he said.

The CS said the interventions are expected to enhance agricultural productivity, reduce the cost of production,reduce the cost of living through reduced food prices and boost overall rural development.

Koskei noted that irrigation and water harvesting have been placed as a national priority to ensure food security. Kenya has an estimated irrigation potential of about 1.3 million hectares of which 150,000 hectares have been developed.

The remaining potential of 1.16 million hectares will be effectively tapped by increasing funding into irrigation development.

Mr Koskei pledged the Ministry would continue making fertilisers and improved seeds available at affordable prices to farmers. The ministry provided 152,000 tonnes of subsidised fertilisers valued at Sh3.9 billion during the 2013/2014 financial year.

development fund

“In the current financial year (2014/2015), we plan to procure 100,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertilisers worth Sh2.5 billion, he said, adding that the ministry had established a fertiliser and seed development fund and so far, Sh3 billion has been allocated for this purpose.

“We are in the process of implementing the three-tier Fertiliser Cost Reduction Strategy, a flagship project of Vision 2030. An investor has been identified and a feasibility study completed for a fertiliser factory to be put up in Eldoret. Designs and construction work are expected to commence this financial year,” he disclosed.

He said establishment of a fertiliser manufacturing plant would ensure farmers in the country have a timely and reliable supply of the commodity.