President William Ruto now says the Government has adopted reforms in the agricultural and livestock sectors aimed at attaining the country’s economic transformation.
Speaking during the official opening of the Nairobi International Trade Fair, held at the Jamhuri Park grounds, President Ruto noted that the Government had increased the application of improved seeds and fertilizers as part of reforms to increase food production and reduce the cost of living.
Ruto noted that there was a need for farmers' produce to go through the value addition process to increase their competitiveness and income.
“Transforming agricultural productivity, therefore, is the most bankable strategy to turn around the economy of our country,” President Ruto said on Wednesday, September 27.
Read More
The Head of State enumerated several measures that have been taken by the Government to transform the agricultural sector including; availing adequate and affordable working capital to farmers for increased productivity.
“We will also assist 2 million food deficient farmers to become surplus producers through availing affordable finance for inputs and agricultural extension to increase productivity of key food value chains including maize and dairy products,” the Head of State remarked.
Dr. Ruto added that efforts were being made to revamp underperforming or collapsed export crops rice, coffee, cashew nuts, pyrethrum, avocado, and macadamia nuts.
At the same time, President Ruto assured sugar and coffee farmers that the Government was doing everything possible to revitalize the sectors.
He said the Cabinet had approved the write-off of Sh 117 billion owed by the state-owned sugar companies in readiness for leasing the mills to the private sector entities.
“This intervention will inject competitiveness in the sector, and on expiry of the leases, the mills will revert to the communities on a cooperative model. Difficult decisions have been made to ensure that sugarcane production is restored,” President Ruto stated.
