Challenges Facing The Agricultural Sector In Kenya

The agricultural sector is the backbone of Kenya’s economy, contributing approximately 33 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The sector accounts for 65 percent of the export earnings, provides the livelihood (employment, income, and food security needs) for more than 80 percent of the Kenyan population, and contributes to improving nutrition through the production of safe, diverse, and nutrient-dense foods.

The sector is also the main driver of the non-agricultural economy including manufacturing, providing inputs and markets for non-agricultural operations such as building/construction, transportation, tourism, education, and other social services.

However, despite being a key player in the country’s economic growth, the sector has been faced with many challenges which have curtailed agricultural production over the years.

Some of the key challenges affecting the sector include;

1. Climate Change

Sudden climate changes have become a norm in Kenya today. Delayed rains and high temperatures are no longer a tale. This has led to massive crop failures leading to food shortages, especially in the Northern parts of Kenya. Changing rain patterns has affected crop production since 98 percent of the country’s agriculture is rain-fed.

Frequent extreme weather events like droughts that last longer than usual, flooding, and increasing temperatures have been witnessed. The effects of these climate changes are devastating with water security, food security, and economic growth becoming even more difficult.

2. Pests and Diseases.

Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND), fall armyworm, False Codling Moth, desert locust, the Golden Apple snail, Papaya Mealybug, Tuta absolute, and Cuscuta are among the major threats listed by Agriculture CS Peter Munya to have highly affected basic food security in the county.

The aforementioned pest and diseases have not only affected the food security but also the horticultural exports of the country.

According to FAO, the desert locust is one of the most destructive pests in the world, with one small swarm covering one square kilometer eating the same amount of food per day as 35,000 people. The 2020/21 invasion of desert locusts throughout the horn of Africa – the worst in decades – is a clear indication of how vulnerable crops are to pests.

3. Poor infrastructure

Poor conditions of roads in the rural areas have made it more difficult for farmers to transport their products to the commercialization spots. The loss of perishable goods during transportation as well as high transportation costs for agricultural inputs and products have made farmers incur huge losses.

4. Soil Infertility

The reduction of fallow periods and continuous cultivation have led to rapid depletion of soil nutrients, declining yields, and environmental degradation.

The challenges facing Kenyan agriculture and farmers are caused by a lack of information and knowledge on how to avoid them or how to circumvent those that cannot be avoided. They can however be solved through effective training for farmers, especially small-scale farmers.

The government also has a big role to play in solving some of these challenges like the poor infrastructure and enhancing farmer access to affordable inputs and credit.