The Council of Governors (CoG) Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee led by the Chairperson, H.E. Rt. Hon. Ken Lusaka on 25th April 2023, held its quarterly meeting at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos County. The forum sought to deliberate on the policy and legislative reforms in the agriculture and livestock sector and the status of the implementation of donor-funded projects and programmes. The meeting was graced by CoG Whip H.E. Stephen Sang, Vice Chair of the Committee H.E. Mutahi Kahiga, H.E. Muthomi Njuki, and H.E. Nathif Jama. Also in attendance were representatives of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), One Acre Fund and the Coffee Sub-Sector Reforms Standing Committee.
Making his opening remarks, H.E. Stephen Sang commended the steps taken by the Committee to initiate talks with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to create solutions that will resolve the legislative barriers in the sector, increase productivity and income, especially for small-scale holders, while ensuring market security and equity.
"This forum will provide an opportunity for key players to interact, share ideas, harmonize policy, and establish effective and efficient strategic partnerships that will tackle the policy barriers that have been hindering the growth of this sector," added H.E. Stephen Sang.
Representing the chair of the CoG Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives Committee, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga agreed with his counterpart on the need to join hands with the National Government to streamline the sector and ensure fair returns to farmers across the 32 coffee-producing Counties and ASAL Counties who are heavily dependent on cattle rearing.
"It is evident that there is an attempt by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to ensure that the coordination of donor-funded projects and programmes in the agriculture and livestock sectors is centralized within the Ministry despite the sector being fully devolved," added H.E. Mutahi Kahiga while addressing members of the press.
As part of the resolutions, the Committee resolved to hold a consultative meeting with all the development partners funding various projects and programmes in the agriculture and livestock sectors across the country to agree on the modalities of its implementation and ensure that the challenges facing farmers are addressed.
Starting the financial year 2023/24, the Committee, in collaboration with Coffee Reforms Standing Committee, will take over the regulatory functions and reforms in the sub-sector as stipulated under the Coffee (General) Regulations, 2019 with a view of enhancing coffee production and productivity. Further, the Committee agreed to hold a retreat between the Excellency Governors and County Executive Committee Members in charge of Agriculture from the 32 coffee-growing Counties and the Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA), Capital Markets Authority (CMA), and Coffee Reforms Standing Committee to review and agree on the practical implementation of the proposed Coffee Bill, 2023.
"It is also good that we invite the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Livestock and the Honorable Senators from the 32 Coffee growing counties to deliberate on the Coffee Bill, 2023 to ensure it is best implemented by the County Governments," added Tharaka Nithi Governor H.E. Muthomi Njuki.
The Committee resolved to engage Parliament and the State Department for Livestock Development to fast-track the enactment of a legal framework to provide for the establishment of a dedicated Livestock Marketing Board. The Board will promote the marketing of livestock and livestock products in the country which is the center of development in Arid and Semi-Arid Counties’ economies.
In addition, the Committee approved the execution of an MoU between the Council of Governors and AGRA to provide a framework for collaboration and partnership in the transformation of the agricultural sector across the 47 County Governments. Lastly, the Committee agreed to engage with One Acre Fund on possible areas of collaboration and partnership in the development of the agricultural sector at the county level.