Agricultural Policy - 2021 " Food: our Health, Wealth and Security".

This Policy, formulated in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution the agricultural goals and targets of Vision 2030, moves from the consideration that agriculture forms the basis of food production in the country and significantly contributes to growth of the national economy, therefore the National and County governments develop appropriate strategies and policies in order to ensure the country food and nutrition security and safety. The Policy provides measures towards sustainable use of natural resources, particularly land and water, expected to boost agricultural production and productivity, focusing on the interrelationship between food and health together with the current impacts of climate change and emerging pests and diseases, and cross-cutting issues, particularly agriculture in a changing climate, youth and gender, and their effects on agricultural development. This Policy concerns the challenges and opportunities related to agricultural production, and proposes interventions for sustainable development of crops, livestock and fisheries and related sub-sectors. Particularly agricultural export relies on crops such as tea, coffee, sugarcane, cotton, sunflower, pyrethrum, barley, tobacco; the major livestock resources provide adequate supply of all animal products to meet domestic needs and surplus for export, and include cattle, camel, poultry, sheep, goats, bees and their products; fisheries sector is considered a major source of income and food for the country, with natural inland and marine fisheries as well as farmed fish from aquaculture systems.
The mission and vision of the Policy are the transformation of the agricultural sector from subsistence production to viable commercial enterprises, through sustainable and commercially oriented crops, and the development of livestock and fisheries resources, in order to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security to the whole country. The Policy defines the following specific objectives: increasing and diversifying agricultural production and productivity using appropriate, good quality and affordable inputs; strengthening agricultural institutions and enhancing collaboration in developing the sector; reducing post-harvest losses of agricultural produce and products; agribusiness promotion; protection and conservation of bio-diversity that is supportive of sustainable agriculture; promoting sustainable use and management of natural resources for agriculture. The Policy also provide measures to address challenges of the sector, including: the need to improve animal genetics and the control of trade sensitive diseases; investments in the development of unexploited fisheries; threats concerning water, such as: pollution, uncontrolled water abstraction, siltation, proliferation of alien invasive species. Further topics developed by this Policy include: land use planning for agricultural purposes; biotechnology in agriculture; food safety measures; agricultural extension and mechanisation; disaster management.