Linturi plans radical reforms to boost food security

A multi-sector forum has unveiled an ambitious agricultural sector reforms plan aimed at boosting the country's food security.

The forum brings together, the Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ministry of Mining, Maritime and Blue Economy, Council of Governors, Development Partners and the Agriculture Sector Network.

In a strategy meeting on Friday, the forum resolved to implement 17 key resolutions that will bring major changes in the agricultural sector to enhance food production in the country.

Speaking during the forum, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi assured stakeholders in the sector that his ministry will oversee full implementation of the action plan.

“My ministry will convene a consultative forum in January 2023 to review a report of the technical team formed to review and harmonize the legal frameworks and align the reforms to the Constitution and the devolved system of government for effective implementation of the reforms at the County level,” Linturi said.

Linturi has also appealed to the County Governments to invest more in the agriculture sector.

“I reiterate that the government, in collaboration with development partners, and private sector will continue to invest in the sector to ensure food security and surplus production for export. I call upon the County governments to also embrace this and allocate more resources to the agriculture sector,” stated Linturi.

The joint resolution was signed by Linturi, his Mining, Maritime and Blue Economy counterpart Salim Mvurya and the Council of Governors Chairperson, Anne Waiguru.

Among the new changes outlined to move the 2 million chronically poor food Kenyans out of food insecurity, investment in value addition for local consumption and export to earn income for farmers and transitioning from rain-fed to irrigation-agriculture.

This would be in line with the President William Ruto’s commitment to construct 100 large irrigation dams.

The other key resolutions include; implementation of reforms in the sugar, tea and coffee sectors through privatization of sugar factories and accessibility of subsidized fertilizer to farmers and streamlining of the mining sector.

Others include increase of budget allocation to agriculture and livestock sectors by the national and county governments and prioritising needed infrastructure to boost food security in the country.

The resolutions were passed during the fifth intergovernmental forum on agriculture that was held on Friday at Windsor Country Club in Kiambu County.

On his part Mvurya promised to streamline the mining sector in line with the forum’s resolutions.

He added that key among them is the development of a national report to outline all the areas with valuable minerals.

“We are soon going to release a report on the mining sector that will help us to improve the earnings from mining that will also assist locals to get income from minerals,’’ Mvurya promised.

Waiguru and Council of Governors Committee on Agriculture Chairman Ken Lusaka have also promised to push for the implementation of the forum’s resolutions to avert food hunger in the country.

The Kirinyaga Governor called on attainment of food security through use of technology and availing credit facilities to farmers.

She also promised that the Council of Governors will fully back the action plan by the multi sector forum.

“We must improve our food sustainability through the outlined reforms that will guarantee us food security once fully implemented,’’ Waiguru added.

Over 30 governors and development partners from the agricultural and mining sectors also attended the event.

The forum was supported by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Rockefeller Foundation (RF) and Tony Blair Institute (TBI).