Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has revealed plans to introduce a new police unit specifically to deal with matters in the agriculture sector.
Kagwe said the presence of the Agricultural Police Unit will not only respond to such issues but also help in protecting farmers’ interests.
Speaking in Mombasa during a meeting with stakeholders from the tea sector, Kagwe said he has already held discussions with his Interior counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen and they are escalating it to the president.
“I have proposed to my brother CS Kipchumba, and we are progressing to the President that we form what is going to be the agricultural police unit because there is Tourism police and several others. We are in discussions about it,” he said.
He noted that there are myriad challenges facing the sector and the only way is to have the special unit to be able to deal with such crises that arise.
He cited the invasion of multinational tea farms, especially in parts of South Rift.
“When you tell a person who has been chasing a gunrunner to come and deal with a person who has invaded a land, that mindset is completely different. When you tell somebody there fake fertiliser being sold to the farmers, that mindset is very different-the discussions and investigations are some that requires a person who understands what is a fake, expired and proper fertiliser...that person is not a regular police,” he explained.
The meeting brought together the leaders of Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), Kenya Tea Growers’ Association (KTGA), Independent Tea Producers (ITP), tea traders and members of East African Tea Trade Association (EATA).
The discussions centred on diverse issues, including curbing green leaf malpractices, where it was agreed that the Ministry should publish green leaf quality standards for all tea producers in the country, with the Tea Board tasked with deregistering any stakeholders engaging in tea hawking.
EATA was also asked to open up the tea auction system for access by tea buyers and consumers globally.
The CS, as per the resolutions, will fast-track the process of appointing the representatives of large-scale tea growers and tea traders in the Tea Board of Kenya.
Additionally, it was agreed that the government explore diplomatic avenues to address the market access challenges of Kenya in Iran and Sudan markets.
“That the CS will put in place mechanisms to establish a Tea council to promote common interests of all tea stakeholders in Kenya,” reads the resolutions in part.
