This archive report was first published on 21 July 2019.
Published on July 21, 2019, a call to action was made to smallholder farmers in Kenya to adopt technology and mechanized agriculture to improve their yields and quality of produce. This move is aimed at boosting Kenya's food security.
According to Robin Achoki, Chairman of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), the notion that mechanization is only for large-scale farming is misguided and poses a threat to Kenya's food security. Speaking at Opoda Farm in Bondo, where hundreds of farmers had gathered for a field day, Mr. Achoki emphasized the importance of technological advancements and innovations in improving productivity among small-scale farmers.
As Kephis, we play a big role in promoting agriculture and nutrition, and we recognize that the use of technology is making agriculture more profitable, Mr. Achoki said. He added that the need to boost crop yields is a priority towards realizing the Government's Big 4 Agenda, which includes mechanized farming, irrigation, and the use of quality seeds and appropriate fertilizers.
Mr. Achoki also highlighted the role of Kephis in enabling farmers to access quality seeds with high nutritional value, tolerance to pests and diseases, and early maturing, especially in light of the current unpredictable weather patterns. Esther Kimani, Kephis MD, further explained that they had developed a seed sticker label as part of their certification processes. The label allows farmers to scratch the sticker on the packet and text the code underneath to 1393 to verify the quality of the seeds.
