Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on State agencies within the Ministries of Agriculture and Cooperatives to expedite reforms in the agricultural sector, particularly concerning tea, coffee, and dairy.
Gachagua emphasized the importance of ensuring these reforms are farmer-centric and aimed at increasing income, aligning with the Government’s plan to boost food production and farmers’ earnings.
“Food security is a cornerstone of Kenya Kwanza, and I encourage you all to support the government in achieving this goal. Let us build a strong economy for a stronger country. If the two ministries collaborate effectively, improvements will come more easily. I am here to support you and provide the necessary backing,” Gachagua stated.
He expressed concern over the drastic decline in coffee production, attributing it to farmer frustrations, inadequate payments, and mismanagement within cooperative societies.
“Coffee has faced long-standing issues for nearly two decades. With the private sector’s involvement, farmers were exploited, leading to a significant drop in production to 50,000 tonnes. We are focused on increasing production, improving pricing, and motivating farmers to return to coffee cultivation,” Gachagua added.
The Deputy President assured Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya (Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs) and Andrew Karanja (Ministry of Agriculture) of his full support and commitment to reforming the cooperatives movement and agricultural sector. Speaking at an inter-ministerial meeting that included the two ministers and other stakeholders, Gachagua pledged to work closely with them to achieve the Government’s agricultural goals.
He urged the ministers to engage farmers in the reform process, stressing that the Government is committed to policy changes, sustainable practices, and crop marketing. Gachagua also emphasized the need for improved access to the Government’s subsidized fertilizer to increase crop production.
“I called this meeting to discuss the reform agenda with the new Cabinet Secretaries and to support them in their efforts,” Gachagua said. “We must address production costs, which have been exacerbated by directors’ extravagance. Some cooperative societies have protested because, despite good prices, farmers received little due to unauthorized loans taken by SACCO officials.”
Gachagua reiterated the Kenya Kwanza administration’s dedication to achieving food security and urged legislators to pass laws that will support the Government’s agricultural reform agenda.