Kenya’s agriculture sector is facing a crisis, with weak research, poorly coordinated extension services, and mismanaged Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farms putting farmers and households at risk, warns former Agriculture Minister Arap Kirwa.
Speaking on Wednesday in an interview on Radio Generation, Kirwa highlighted how past administrations ensured food security by closely monitoring harvests and supporting livestock, systems he says are now failing.
During his time in the cabinet, Kirwa explained, harvests were tracked throughout the year across different regions to stabilize food supply.
“We harvest all year round. The first harvest, possibly around July, will come from some parts of Bomet, Transmara, and light sections of Nyanza and lower Western. That could be about 20 percent of the total harvest that we expect,” he said.
A second harvest followed later in the year, coming from the Coast and Eastern regions, including Embu, Murang’a, and Makueni, which contributed an additional 15–20 percent. The main harvest came from North Rift counties such as West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Lugari, Bungoma, and Kakamega.
Kirwa stressed the crucial role of Ukambani harvests for household food consumption.
“When it is low, it directly affects the people, because much of it is meant for consumption by the households. Even if the crop is depressed in the North Rift, it only affects the market of maize and it also affects income to the farmers, but in terms of food security, you can still sustain.”
To cushion against shortages, Kirwa said his administration carefully timed maize imports and supported livestock.
“We used also to make sure that we inform the farmers about the need for off take. We had to rally resources and buy hay from ADC to give to farmers in some of the semi-arid areas, all the way to Garissa. We said, No, we are buying grass because they cannot eat grass, and we supply the grass to the livestock for mitigating those conditions.”
The former minister expressed concern over the current state of ADC farms, claiming that operations have declined and some land has been taken over by private individuals. “There are places where an individual owns at least 15,000 acres of land,” he noted.
Kirwa also pointed to a growing disconnect between research and farmers, saying, “Research and extension are two integral parts of the same system. Research now is underfunded, what is the linkage with the farmer? What was the linkage with extension services? This minimum linkage extended.”
He criticised devolution for weakening agricultural coordination, saying governors do not see the urgency of working closely with the national Ministry of Agriculture.
Kirwa concluded by urging the government to refocus on agriculture, emphasizing that Kenya once had effective systems to safeguard food security.
