While addressing the nation during the Jamhuri day celebrations in 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled his legacy that was centered on four main pillars commonly known as the “the big four agenda” affordable housing, food security, universal health care and industrialization.
County governments were directed to work closely with the central government towards the realization of these pillars. Friendly countries and Non governmental agencies promised to boost the agendas to ensure they materialize.
Among the things that most Kenyans are struggling with on a daily basis, are the four pillars. If properly addressed, then life would be simpler for Kenyans.
However in as much as they are all important, food security stands out as the anchor of the pillars. Unless Kenya is food secured, achieving the rest of the agendas will be difficult. to ensure the success of the of the other pillars, the government should focus more on sustainable agriculture and food provision.
Agriculture is the back bone of Kenya’s economy contributing up to 26 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). More than 70 percent of Kenya’s population rely on agriculture both directly and indirectly. Agriculture also plays a major role in the survival of other sectors of the economy.
To realize the food security agenda,the government needs to think above and beyond the normal way farming. The introduction of new ways of farming which is sustainable should be taught to farmers to ensure food is in plenty.
To stop rural to urban migration, the government should build and strengthen the rural agricultural sector to be lucrative enough to attract the youth who are the majority in the country and full of energy.
The use of innovation and technology should be prioritized to ensure food grows to maturity in farms. The failing rains are pushing farmers to extreme poverty. The over reliance on rain-fed agriculture should be a thing of the past. Hence the use of irrigation should be emphasized. For the large scale farmers, land mechanization should be encouraged so as to produce food in high quantities. Besides that, storage facilities should be made available for the surplus food produced.
The use of green house is also another way of ensuring food grows to maturity. The prices of the greenhouses should be subsidized and made easily available to farmers at all times.
Extension services should be made easily accessible by farmers in all parts of the country. The extension officers employed by the government would work closely with the farmers on the ground to ensure good agricultural practices.
To avoid the exploitation of the farmer who worked hard on the farm by middle men, the government should provide ready market for the farmer’s produce. with a ready market, farmers are motivated to work hard knowing that their produce will be bought at a good price.This way the farmer gets the value of his investment.
Given that the climate has changed and droughts are a norm,livestock keepers and especially pastroilists should be encouraged to keep a small number of livestock. this will lead to reduced conflict over pasture and water. Pastrolists’ who loose their livestock can be trained in other forms of livelihood and especially in agriculture given that most of them have huge tracts of land.
It is therefore important for the government to pump more money in the food security pillar as it is the anchor of the rest. if the country is food secured, then the other sectors can thrive.
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