- The Executive said agriculture remains the life-line of Kenya’s economy and the most significant contributor to its gross domestic product.
- The sector, he added, contributes 25 per cent to GDP directly, and an additional 27 per cent indirectly through links with manufacturing, distribution and related activities.
The County Government of Nakuru is collaborating with the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) to increase market participation and value addition.
The programme will benefit more than 5,000 farmers through a Sh28.75 billion World Bank funded initiative.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries CEC Leonard Bor said the project will unlock new opportunities for maximising finance and private sector investments in the value chains through a range of investments.
This includes improved subsidy through e-vouchers and operationalising warehouse receipt financing.
Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting to discuss plans for rolling out the farmers’ registration programme into NAVCDP, Bor said the initiative was focusing on farmers engaged in poultry, fruits, (banana, mango and avocado), vegetables (tomato and potato), coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, apiculture and pyrethrum value chains.
He urged farmers across the devolved unit to register into the project, noting that it will create numerous opportunities for the county in terms of promoting agricultural development.
“By registering farmers, the county will be able to gather important data about agricultural activities and better understand the needs and challenges faced by farmers in the county,” he said.
He noted that the meeting with the NAVCDP County Project Steering Committee, marks a proactive and strategic approach by the county government in promoting agricultural development and growth.
The multi-billion shilling World Bank funded project is targeting at least 500,000 farmers in 26 counties, who are set to benefit from loans to be issued through International Development Association towards bolstering market participation and value addition.
NAVCDP is a community driven development project under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Co-operatives, that seeks to increase market participation and value addition for targeted small-scale farmers in Kenya who are spread across the 26 counties.
The counties to benefit include Nakuru, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Tana River, Kakamega, Busia, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Murang'a, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Embu and Nyeri.
While indicating that the project will engage private sector value chain actors, Bor said the farmers’ registration process will involve the collection of various data points. This includes the farmer’s name, contact information, farm size, and crops grown among others.
He assured farmers that their personal information will be treated with utmost confidentiality and used only to improve and provide targeted support.
County Commissioner Lyford Kibaara, Agriculture Chief Officer Newton Mwaura, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services Chief Officer Dr Michael Cheruiyot and NAVCDP County Coordinator Peter Githunguri were present during the meeting.
The Executive said agriculture remains the life-line of Kenya’s economy and the most significant contributor to its gross domestic product.
The sector, he added, contributes 25 per cent to GDP directly, and an additional 27 per cent indirectly through links with manufacturing, distribution and related activities.
Bor said he was happy that the agricultural sector was increasingly becoming the largest employer in the country, accounting for over 70 per cent of the total labour force, with one in five people in rural areas deriving their livelihoods from agriculture-related activities.
He affirmed that Governor Susan Kihika’s administration was committed to delivering strategic interventions that will make the agricultural sector a key driver in achieving the 10 per cent annual economic growth rate, expected under Vision 2030.
“We are working to make the sector a key economic driver, by putting efforts in place to increase food security, reduce poverty and offer competitive opportunities for farmers, especially smallholders,” Bor said.
He said value chain development was increasingly becoming a popular approach worldwide to increase the incomes of small producers and the economically active poor. He added that it was a key framework for understanding how inputs and services are brought together and then used to grow, transform or manufacture a product.
Taking a value chain approach to economic development and poverty reduction, Bor said it involved addressing the major constraints and opportunities faced by farmers and producers, processors, traders and other businesses at multiple points along the chain.
County Commissioner Lyford Kibaara underscored the need for capturing accurate data about farmers for the county to be able to tailor its agricultural policies and interventions to the specific needs of the farming community.
He said the farmers’ registration initiative was a crucial step in promoting agricultural development in the county. This he said will lead to increased productivity, improved access to resources and markets, and overall growth in the agricultural sector.