This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
Kenya's agriculture sector, a crucial contributor to the country's GDP, has long been plagued by mismanagement, underfunding, and cartel infiltration. Despite numerous task forces and recommendations, the sector has remained largely unchanged.
However, Agriculture Minister Peter Munya appears determined to break this cycle. Since his appointment in January, he has initiated a raft of reforms aimed at boosting the sector's economic output.
One of the key reforms is the revamping of the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU), which has been dissolved and replaced by the New KPCU. The new entity has started purchasing coffee from farmers and seeking direct markets.
As of April, the New KPCU had distributed farm inputs to farmers using part of the Sh3 billion set aside by the government. However, the changes have been met with stiff opposition, with a group of individuals challenging the New KPCU's mandate in court.
Despite the challenges, Minister Munya remains resolute, stating, 'The work of distributing the funds has already begun after we received all the funds from the Treasury. I want to warn the cartels who are trying to frustrate our efforts to know that we are not going to stop.'
Cooperative Principal Secretary Ali Noor notes that the reforms are ongoing, with the only hurdle being the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to drastic government spending cuts.
