Explore sustainable agriculture to boost food security, says PS

 The government has urged farmers to practice sustainable agriculture and plant trees to promote food security.

Kenya is a net importer of food, such as rice, sugar and edible oils.

Speaking at the Agitech Expo in Kirinyaga county yesterday, Crops Development PS Kello Harsama also called on farmers to enrol in the ongoing farmer registration process.

It aims to enhance access to knowledge resources on sustainable agriculture and provision of farm inputs at subsidised prices.

"We are working with stakeholders in the private sector to equip farmers with the technical know-how of curbing declining crop yields caused by poor soil health, poor farming techniques and changing climatic conditions," he said.

"We want our farmers to get a profitable income through sustainable agriculture to help us become food-secure in the coming generations."

Harsama called on farmers to take up initiatives by private sector players, such as the Yara Knowledge Centres by Yara East Africa.

Yara's initiative is cascading knowledge on resilience building and transformation to the farmers to enable them to adapt to the climatic challenges, while maximising the yield potential of the various crop varieties to close the yield gap in Kenya.

“Yara has set up Yara Knowledge Centres across the country to create a paradigm shift amongst our farming communities and encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies," he said.

His counterparts present at the expo in Mutithi village, Mwea constituency, urged farmers and Kenyans at large to plant trees.

"It's the rainy season, please let us plant trees," Forestry PS Gitonga Mugambi said.

"I urge each household member to plant at least 30 trees and help build a sustainable environment for agricultural farming now and in the future."

Cooperatives PS Patrick Kilemi said it is important for farmers to work together in groups and cooperatives.

"Agriculture has now established a good foundation that incorporates the youth," he said.

He praised the Agitech Expo and Yara Knowledge Centres for "offering learning opportunities and knowledge sharing to  promote the uptake of agribusiness by the youth across the country".

Energy PS Alex Wachira called on farmers to plant trees and take care of the physical resources that provide water for farming and electricity generation.

"For us to reduce our power bills, we need to increase generation from the hydro and geothermal resources, which are dependent on trees and availability of water," he said.

"Let us, therefore, take up this tree initiative by the government as they are targeted to benefit us all now and in the future." 

During the two-day expo, farmers were encouraged to embrace good agricultural practices (GAP) from land preparation all the way to post-harvest handling.

They were told this would increase crop productivity, quality and household incomes, in line with the government's agenda of providing food security for all.