Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Ombam has urged farmers, particularly small-scale producers, to embrace cooperative societies to improve production, access financing and strengthen their bargaining power in the market.
Ombam said fragmented production remained one of the major challenges preventing farmers from fully benefiting from their agricultural investments.
Speaking during a visit to exhibitors at the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Kisumu Show, the PS said farmers needed to change their mindset and view agriculture as a wealth creation and employment sector.
She said stronger participation in the cooperative movement would enable farmers to produce and market their products collectively while improving access to credit.
“There is something about my community, and I am actually from this community, that makes me feel that we really need to have a complete mind shift around understanding the value of agriculture as a wealth creation mechanism,” Ombam said.
“The moment we get our population to understand that mind shift, they'll be able to get into that industry and produce for purposes of creating wealth.”
The PS said the government was working with the State Department for Cooperatives to encourage farmers to embrace the cooperative movement and build trust in its governance structures.
“Once my people accept and feel that they can participate in the cooperative movement and they can trust the cooperative movement and they trust the governance around it, you are actually going to see the transformation that you are asking for,” she said.
Ombam said the government was also focused on creating an enabling environment for small and medium-sized enterprises, players in the creative industry and farmers to access local and international markets.
She said her visit to the show had provided an opportunity to understand the innovations being developed by farmers and other exhibitors, particularly in climate-smart agriculture.
The PS said the innovations demonstrated the potential of Kenyan producers to improve productivity, reduce production costs and meet the quality standards required in international markets.
“I visited quite a number of stands at the ASK show where the exhibitors showcased a lot of innovation and new thinking around ensuring that our agriculture is climate-smart, resilient and sustainable,” she said.
According to Ombam, the innovations she witnessed were aligned with the government's ambition of transforming Kenya into an export-led and highly industrialised economy.
She said she visited 18 stands, all of which demonstrated innovation, sustainability, efficiency and quality production.
“All those stands were bringing out what we are really looking for in the transformation that our President has been asking for pushing this economy to an export-led economy and a highly industrialised economy,” she said.
Ombam said she would use the lessons from the exhibition to assess how the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry could better support local producers in accessing international markets.
She said Kenya had entered into various trade agreements and partnerships with markets including the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The PS said the government's focus was to ensure local farmers and traders understood the requirements of those markets and were supported to meet the necessary standards.
“How can I ensure that this works for people here so that they understand what those markets are asking for and they can also be critical players in that market?” she posed.
She said the government would work with farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises and players in the creative economy to ensure Kenyan products could compete favourably in global markets.
Ombam also urged young people to view agriculture as an industry and a source of employment rather than focusing solely on office-based jobs.
She said government programmes such as the Nyota programme had demonstrated that young people could start small businesses and grow them with the right support.
“The only thing we are asking for is when they get into that Nyota programme, please tell the young people to use that money for good. They should not use it to go and enjoy themselves instead,” she said.
The PS said young people who invested in productive ventures could eventually use their businesses and cooperative membership to access loans and expand their enterprises.
Ombam also praised the turnout at the Kisumu ASK Show, saying she was particularly impressed by the participation of schoolchildren.
She said exposing young people to agriculture, innovation and technology could inspire them to develop better solutions in the future.
“What impressed me more was seeing the young kids from school taking their time to understand everything within the exhibition centres,” she said.
“For me, that showed me that when we are able to inculcate that kind of knowledge in young people, as they grow up, they will always remember and strive to bring out something better.”
The PS said the show had demonstrated the potential of Kenyan farmers and innovators to contribute to the country's economic transformation.
