We can put our act together and create 10 million jobs in farming

Farming is the most important occupation as has been said in countless forums. While you consult a doctor, a lawyer or a teacher once in a while, you make a date with the farmer at least thrice a day. The appointment with the farmer sustains life. Yet for many farmers, the venture hardly provides a decent income. They farm for sustenance and it is often a back-breaking, sweaty and punishing affair. Growing up, I recall the agonising coffee-picking routine then the long walk ferrying the cherries to the factory. We hated coffee seasons and aspired to move to the city.

A few decades later, as a country, we haven’t made farming attractive or profitable enough. Despite the huge potential in crops, livestock, and fisheries we have let down generations of farmers. This should not always be the case. We can make farming ‘cool’ and worthwhile activity. And indeed, over the last few years, we have had a number of youthful farmers making a decent living, which demonstrates that transforming agriculture is not rocket science or an expensive undertaking.