Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Strategic Plan 2013-2017.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries adopted this Strategic Plan within the framework of Kenya Vision 2030 and the Millennium Development Goals. The plan has a multi-sectoral approach and applies at the national level during the period from 2013 to 2017. The following strategic objectoves are set out: (i) create an enabling environment for agricultural development; (ii) increase productivity and outputs in agriculture sector; (iii) enhance national food and nutrition security; (iv) improve market access and trade; (v) strengthen institutional capacity; and (vi) enhance the role of youth in agriculture.
As mentioned, one of the strategic objectives is to enhance national food and nutrition security. The Plan lays down measures to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The following measures are foreseen: diversification and expansion of strategic food reserves; establishment of agriculture and livestock insurance.
Further the document aims at making agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable.
The reduction of rural poverty is among the objectives of the Plan as well.
Another objective is to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. With a view to increasing productivity and outputs in the agricultural sector, the Plan sets out measures to (i) strengthen research, technology development and transfer, (ii) promote access to agricultural inputs and financial services, (iii) improve market access and trade for agricultural products. Furthermore, strategic objective 6 aims to increase youth involvement in agriculture. The following activities will be undertaken: a) promote new farming technologies; b) support youth to undertake farm tree planting; c) establish irrigation projects, tree planting, fish ponds and water harvesting facilities in secondary and primary schools; and d) technical and vocational training of youth in agriculture. Aiming to control diseases and pests, the policy lists the development of strategies for surveillance and monitoring diseases, anti- microbial, and pesticide resistance development as a budgeted activity.
The Plan also aims to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters. The Ministry will continue to promote priority adaptation and mitigation actions in an effort to enhance resilience to climate change and contribute to low carbon emissions in the country. The specific actions include: a) mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies into agricultural extension; b) establishment and maintenance of climate change information for agriculture; c) up-scaling climate-smart agriculture technologies such as conservation agriculture and agro-forestry farming systems; and d) development and application of performance benefit measurement methodology for adaptation, mitigation and development.