Kenyan farmers have been urged to utilize the farmer registration opportunity under the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS) for ease access to government subsidy programmes aimed at reducing the cost of living through boosting food production.
According to Kello Harsama, the Principal Secretary, state department for crop development, having proper data in store will enable the national government in planning, especially distribution of government subsidies.
“Kenya is set to have over 200,000 acres of land under sunflower and the procurement process for the seeds has begun. The data acquired will enable us to identify suitable counties where this farming will be practiced.”Harsma said, confirming that the data will also be used to support extension services, cooperatives planning, marketing, assignment of investors in counties among other issues related to the agriculture sector.
Speaking at Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi County during a meeting that brought together CECMS under the NAVCDP, the PS assured participants of the national government plans to curb post-harvest losses, saying mapping has been done and procurement process for 100 driers have already commenced.
“The driers will be distributed fairly.” He said.
Common framework
The national chairperson for County Executive Committee Members, agriculture caucus Kiplimo Lagat has called for development of a framework between counties and national government to enhance collaboration in implementation of devolved and non-devolved agriculture functions under the National Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
While lauding efforts to digitize the value chain actors, Lagat who is also the CECM for Agriculture and Cooperatives development Nandi county said despite facilitating the collection of farmer’s details, counties have continued to experience challenges in access to data.
“The framework will also help in establishing strong agricultural and marketing statistical units at county levels.” He said.
Lagat reaffirmed the county governments commitment to supporting the programme in realizing its objective ‘increasing market participation and value addition for targeted small-scale farmers in Kenya’.
Today’s meeting is key in helping the state department of agriculture meet demands of food producers in the country.
According to Dr. Dominic Menjo digitization of value chain actors will help the national government address challenges facing the agriculture sector.
“Transforming the data collected to be of economic value by next year is an agenda we have as a ministry. We understand challenges bedevilling the sector which include market failure, through concerted efforts, we will jointly achieve the objective of this project.
FAO support
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has committed to supporting the course, but called on counties to ensure they have qualified and competent enumerators who will be focal in ensuring accuracy of data collection.
Taita Taveta County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation Hon. Erickson Kyongo said his office will expedite the process to ensure farmer livelihoods are promoted.
Taita Taveta county has 5 value chains earmarked for implementation of the project; Dairy, Irish Potato, Poultry, Green Grams and Banana.
The data collection exercise is set to begin on September 4, 2023 upon recruitment of and training enumerators respectively.
Among information items to be collected include; enumeration geography, individual farmer details, primary farm holding, agricultural enterprises, crop agriculture, livestock, aquaculture farm technology and assets, land & water management and the financials &services.
