Plans are underway to create an umbrella lobby group to articulate problems holding back the agriculture sector in Kenya.A conference organised by Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) for Agriculture Stakeholders and the Kenya Camel Association in Nairobi proposed draft plans for the formation of the Kenya Agriculture Federation (KAF).
KEPSA Foundation Trustees Chairman, Mr Lee Karuri, said the agriculture sector was not organised or properly coordinated to articulate the challenges preventing it from realising its full potential.
These have resulted in diminishing returns to the economy, loss of jobs and incomes.
“There is need for an alternative voice other than the Government’s Big Four Agenda since the sector lacks advocacy,” said Karuri.
Among President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy Big Four Agenda include food and nutrition security for all.
For instance, Kenyans pay more for wheat products like bread and poultry feeds because of high taxation imposed on imported on the raw product to protect local farmers who produce a paltry 250 metric tonnes against national annual consumption of 1.2 metric tonnes.
Demands to scrap the high import duty imposed on imported wheat whose cost is passed on to consumers has been resisted by a handful of growers through political and policy manipulation.
KAF will advocate and incorporate a strategic plan for the sector.
Karuri said the umbrella lobby group will bring aboard various associations, corporates and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the agri-sector to champion policies to enhance productivity, performance and growth.
They will also partner with the Government to address the concerns of the sector.
The Managing Director of Elgon Kenya, Bimal Kantaria said: “We are forming an umbrella body to represent all private sector agriculture organisations including research institutions and education bodies.”
The membership categories will cut across existing sub-sector associations across all value chains, individual corporates in the value chain of food and research institutions.
They will include Strathmore University, which has been training farmers on agribusiness, the finance sector, co-operative societies, NGOs and small holder farmers.
“Agriculture is now devolved and there is a need to find a way of engaging the counties through Integrated Development Plans. It is also necessary to have a strategy for sustainable engagement,” said Karuri.
Mr Apollo Owour Chair Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK), said that the voice of the horticulture sector is heard, but there are a lot of cross cutting issues on management and labour that are affecting the sector.
“The gains for horticulture is through our contribution to the economy. Some regulations have become barriers, and we need to engage with the concerned departments in the Ministry of Agriculture to address these issues,” said Mr Owour.
Crop Protection Products regulations is a major issue. Robert Kiteme of the Council of Governors said devolution of agriculture is at an infancy stage.
The Council of Governors is expected to drive reforms to address confusion around partial devolution of functions between the national government and the counties.
Reforms in the agriculture sector have traditionally been frustrated by commercial interests on policy formulation.
It remains to been seen how the KEPSA-driven reforms mediate competing interests.
