In a bold move aimed at enhancing the agricultural landscape, the Kenyan government has set in motion an ambitious plan to comprehensively register farmers across the country.
Spearheading this initiative is Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, who recently announced a groundbreaking strategy to ensure no farmer is left behind.
The journey began earlier in the year when the government initiated a rapid registration of farmers using local authorities and village elders.
The success of this effort resulted in the registration of a staggering 4.2 million crop-based farmers.
However, due to time constraints, livestock and fish farmers were left out of the process, prompting the need for a second phase of comprehensive registration.
Addressing an event at the Kenya School of Government (KSG), Linturi unveiled the second phase of the Farmers’ Registration and the Inua Jamii Safety Net Programmes.
He outlined an innovative approach that involved the deployment of 17,096 special enumerators, predominantly youths, to carry out a village-by-village census-style registration.
This approach aims to ensure that every farmer, regardless of their agricultural pursuits, is accounted for in the country's agricultural database.
Linturi emphasized the importance of mapping and registering all key players in the agricultural value chain. This included agro-input dealers, aggregators, processors, extension service providers, marketing centers, and transporters.
By doing so, the government aims to foster stronger connections between farmers and the various services they require, facilitated through digital platforms and e-services.
With the baseline data collected, a particularly promising aspect of the initiative emerged - the engagement of agri-entrepreneurs.
Across various wards, an estimated average of 10 agri-entrepreneurs per ward will be selected, amounting to 13,350 young individuals.
These individuals will be contracted for a duration of 6 to 12 months, focusing on providing crucial support services such as data collection, extension services, and advisory assistance.
The backbone of this initiative is the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS), a technologically advanced tool.
Developed with support from organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), and the World Bank, KIAMIS will enable digital data collection, storage, and sharing.
Furthermore, it will facilitate digitalization of essential services like e-subsidies and e-extensions, streamlining the entire process.
Linturi extended an impassioned call to action for farmers to actively participate in the forthcoming second phase of comprehensive registration.
Slated to begin in the first week of September 2023, this phase plans to create a complete and accurate representation of Kenya's diverse farming landscape.
Linturi also urged county Executive Committee members (CECs) overseeing agriculture to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process for the youth agri-entrepreneurs, addressing a crucial aspect of the nation's unemployment challenges.
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