Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Mithika Linturi has unveiled an ambitious plan for the country's food security.
On Friday, the nominee appeared before the Committee on Appointments, where he vowed to roll out radical policy interventions to boost the country's food production.
The turnaround programme, Linturi told the panel chaired by Speaker Moses Wetangula, will be one of its kind to rev up agriculture.
Linturi unveiled his master-plan that he said will embrace innovation and modern technology to lift the country from being a food beggar into a food secure nation.
The nominee, however, admitted that Kenyans will have to dig deeper into their pockets for the staple ugali as the new administration will not provide maize subsidies to bring down the cost.
Unga is currently retailing at over Sh200 for a two-kilogram packet.
The law graduate of the University of Nairobi was however optimistic that the price will change due to the robust plan the Kenya Kwanza government will be rolling out to increase production and make the country food sufficient.
“I don’t think the price of unga will not come down immediately unless the government is willing to bring subsidy to bring down the cost of unga,” Linturi said.
The committee also vetted nominees Eliud Owalo (ICT), Ezekiel Mochogu (Education), Ababu Namwamba (Sports) and Rebecca Miano (East Africa Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development).
In his plan,the former Meru senator said young people who are majorly unemployed must be brought to the farms through innovative means to increase the size of land under cultivation.
To get young people to understand the importance of agriculture to the economy, the nominee vowed to revive 4K clubs in schools to prepare the school children for serious farming.
The county governments, he noted, will be great stakeholders in getting the country to the required level of food sufficiency.
“To transform this country, we require to invest in agriculture. We need to re-engineer our ways in how we conduct ourselves in the field of agriculture. I want to have a sitting with the governors and CECs for agriculture to see how we can transform agriculture,” Linturi said.
Agriculture is estimated to contribute up to 24 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and employs around 60 per cent of Kenyans.
“To increase productivity, we might have to go an extra mile to educate our farmers on what best crop grows where. With that kind of data, we will be be able to maximise on productivity and avail information to our farmers.”
As part of guaranteeing high returns for farmers, Linturi said he will implement the warehouse receipts system across the country to facilitate mop up of products and ensure farmers get better prices for their produce.
The nominee was dragged to the controversial genetically modified organisms debate, with lawmakers questioning his position on the government policy that was approved by the Cabinet last month.
MPs Stephen Mule (Matungulu) and Mary Emase (Teso South) demanded a clear demarcation of the GMO products from the organic ones to enable Kenyans make a choice on what to consume.
Linturi defended the lifting of the ban saying it was necessary to address the acute food shortage that is currently ravaging the country.
He said genetically modified products are safe, citing several Western countries that he noted have embraced GMOs over years without any serious health issues.
“Lack of food informed the decision on GMO. I have not seen anywhere even in scientific journals where GMO is said to be harmful to any human being,” Linturi said.
On the collapse of state millers, Linturi said he will spearhead privatisation of the four government mills as a part of the government effort to revive the sector.
“I am told there has been discussion how to privatise these companies for profitability. If that is the direction we must go then I wouldn’t have a problem at a personal level,” he said.
The former senator disclosed he is worth Sh1.2 billion, which includes investment in various companies, Saccos, farming and properties.
