Farming,
The government and all the stakeholders in the agricultural sector have been urged to address issues that are a hindrance to making farming in the country a profitable venture.
Agriculture has been cited as the backbone of not only the county but also Kenya’s economy, employing over 70 percent of the rural population and contributing to 26 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Murang’a based soil analyst Bernard Ndung’u observes that the sector is plagued by numerous challenges that limit the productivity and profitability of farmers.
Some of the challenges that need to be addressed for the agricultural sector to thrive and contribute to Kenya’s economic growth include climate/harsh weather conditions, pests and diseases, inadequate funds, Poor market access, limited information on market trends and lack of access to modern farming technologies.
“One of the major challenges facing farmers in Kenya is climate change as the country is experiencing unpredictable weather patterns characterized by droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures,” he says adding that, “The conditions make it difficult for farmers to plan their activities and increase the risk of crop failure,” he notes
Moreover, changing weather patterns also affect the viability of certain crops, forcing farmers to either switch to other crops or abandon farming altogether. Ndung’u underscores the need for climate change mitigation measures such as irrigation and better crop varieties that can help farmers adapt to changing weather patterns.
Additionally, the country is home to a variety of crop pests and diseases that can cause significant losses if not controlled. “Some of the common pests we have witnessed lately include the fall armyworms in maize, locust, and Tuta absoluta in tomatoes,” said Ndung’u.
“Lack of access to modern pest control methods and technologies, make it difficult to manage such problems,” he added. An effective strategy to address this problem, he notes, is the promotion of integrated pest management practices that combine cultural, biological, and chemical control measures.
Most of the farmers are facing constraints for the capital required to invest or run farming as profitable enterprise as most rural farmers lack collateral to access commercial loans, and microfinance institutions are often not adequately funded to meet the needs of all farmers.
A coffee bush in Murang’a.
To mitigate this, the government, development partners, and financial institutions need to work together to provide affordable and accessible credit facilities for farmers. “The farmers should also market their products through cooperatives as they can offer them short-term inputs credit,” he says.
Poor market access and limited information on market trends are other significant challenges as most farmers lack access to reliable market information that can help them make informed decisions on what to produce and when to sell. This information gap often results in low prices for farmers and poor market readiness, which then leads to post-harvest losses.
“Lack of access to modern farming technologies is also hindering the productivity of farmers as most rural farmers still practice conventional farming methods, which are labor-intensive and have low yields,” Ngungú noted. The adoption of modern farming technologies, such as drip irrigation, greenhouses, and mechanization, can help farmers increase their productivity and reduce labor costs.
The technology gap also hinders the application of some farming knowledge and techniques which would boost productivity. As such, Ndung’u has encouraged farmers to participate in various field days, agricultural shows and exhibitions, and farm visits to bridge the farming technique gap.
“By working together, we can overcome challenges and support farmers in achieving food security, poverty reduction, and economic growth,” he said.