By SCOLA KAMAU, Special Correspondent
The Kenyan government has reduced the budget allocation to agriculture by 29 per cent in its 2013/2014 budget estimates.
A total of Ksh38.07 billion ($447 million) was allocated to address famine and turn farming into an income-generating business, compared with Ksh53.3 billion (($627) allocated to the sector last year.
The government however introduced more food security interventions.
Driven by the theme of accelerating growth through increased productivity, market access and innovation, the Jubilee government has chosen to expand irrigation, reclaim thousands of acres of land affected by erosion, inject technology into food production and link farmers to markets.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich argued that since 70 per cent of household budgets across the country goes to food, it would require an investment of billions of shillings and adequate technology to increase productivity in agriculture.
He allocated Ksh8 billion ($94.1 million) to finance the on-going irrigation projects across the country. The irrigation schemes targeted are Bura, Hola, South West Kano, Ahero, Mwea and Pekerra.
In total, the government intends to place 1 million acres of land under irrigation to achieve food security.
A total of Ksh3.6 billion ($42.3 million) was allocated to implement the first phase of the ambitious Galana irrigation project, projected to create 3 million jobs and transform the ranch into a business hub — agro-processing, packaging, distribution, export and tourism — for the Coast region.
Some Ksh2 billion ($23.5 million) was set aside for an Agri-Business Fund to eliminate risk for commercial banks giving loans to farmers. The fund is expected to increase to Ksh20 billion in the next four years.
The ministry’s vote will also be used to construct 50 food storage facilities, eight agricultural training centres and 500 water pans across the country, buy 15,500 metric tonnes of traditional seeds and reach 19 million farmers through field days.
The government will build 50 markets, link 90 producer groups to markets and ensure 1,540 market prices are published in daily newspapers.
To improve fish productivity, the ministry’s vote will serve to increase the number of fish fingerlings supplied to farmers, and restore fishery stocks and habitats; establish recreational marine parks and set up several cold chain facilities and fish auction centres across the country.
Livestock farming received a target of 61 million livestock to be vaccinated against foot and mouth diseases and other trade-sensitive diseases; 960,000 livestock branded and attaining a 4 per cent reduction in tsetse fly and trypanosomiasis density.
The funds will also assist 630 livestock farmers to access artificial insemination services, and to construct 21 medium-sized abattoirs and support 260 farmers with milk value-addition facilities.