Building Bridges Initiative (B.B.I) Steering Committee Report: What in it for the Farmers

For the need of economic revolution (for high employment, high productivity, value-creation and export economy), the steering committee recommended the following on agriculture.

Firstly; promotion of cottage industries, manufacturing and labour-intensive industries/sectors (agriculture, livestock and fishing); gradually adopt technologies that increase productivity. This responsibility is given to either national or county governments with priority set high. The committee recommended the following implementation strategy;

• Adopting and promoting specific measures to support the cottage industries; capacity building; creation or improvement of infrastructure; funding; tax incentives; and facilitating marketing.
• Implement and provide the public with regular monitoring and impact assessment reports in respect of strategies put in place to enhance agricultural production and value creation including; The National Agriculture investment plan: toward sustainable agricultural transformation and food security in Kenya 2019-2024
• The National Agribusiness Strategy: Making Kenya’s agribusiness sector a competitive driver of growth –prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Sector Coordination Unit (ASCU)
• The Kenya Youth Agribusiness  Strategy 2017 -2021: Positioning the youth at the forefront of agricultural Growth and Transformation -prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Sector Coordination Unit (ASCU)            

Secondly; the committee recommended the Expansion of agricultural and livestock extension and advisory services and ensure that they include advice on clear standards and market linkages. The national or county governments are to be responsible for this with priority being high. The recommended implementation strategy for this includes;

• Hiring of more veterinarians and agricultural extension officers.
• Provide enough funding.
• Improve disease monitoring and surveillance systems.
• Create market linkages.
• Develop the necessary infrastructure.
• Revamp and strengthen the relevant existing agencies, including KALRO, Agriculture Fisheries & Food Authority (AFFA) and Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI).
• Conduct an audit on the staffing and resourcing of these sectors.
• Fully implement the report of the PSC and the Inter-Governmental Authority Reports of 2014/15 on seconded staff to Counties.
• Provide for sanctions for non-implementation by relevant personnel.        

Thirdly; the committee recommended the Improvement of market linkages for farmers that enable them to gain a greater share of the retail price through information and Provision of proper incentives to the private sector and cooperatives, and the necessary coordination, to build a cold chain system throughout the country.

National or county governments are to be held responsible with priority set high. The following implementation strategies were recommended for this;

• Establish institutions responsible for market linkages for farmers that enable them to gain a greater share of the retail price through information, e.g. Semi-Autonomous Government Agency (SAGA).
• Government to partner with the private sector to provide mentorship support to farmers.
• Revive and revamp the Kenya National Trading Corporation.
• Cut out, middlemen.
• Put in place and strengthen online trading systems.
• Enhance cold chains, innovative harvesting and preservation systems, e.g. food banks and cold storage.
• Enhance/improve livestock breeding.
• Provide measures for disease control of livestock.
• Establish feedlots.

Finally; the committee recommended the protection of Kenyan inventions and genetic resources. The national or county governments are to be held responsible for this with priority set high. The implementation strategy for this includes;

• Simplifying the process of registering innovations, patents and trademarks.
• Strengthening the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) to develop inventories and improve all agricultural and livestock genetic resources.

Reference

Report of the Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Building Bridges to a United Kenya Taskforce Report.October 2020

About Post Author

Kelvin Wairimu

Kelvin Wairimu is a Young Passionate Agripreneur, Manager and Chief Editor Of The Farmworx. He is an Experienced and Practicing Farmer, Agricultural Economist and a Consultant.He holds a Bacherors Degree in Agricultural Economics From University of Eldoret,CPA 3 And a Certificate in Advanced Computer Software.

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