President William Ruto has said Kenya should be exporting rather than importing food. He said it is time bold, ambitious and progressive policy decisions were pursued to make the country produce more. The President insisted that Kenya has the potential to feed itself and sell the surplus to other countries. “We must turn agriculture into a commercial economic activity,” he said.
The President explained that the Government was consolidating main trading blocs in Africa “so that we can give value to our farmers”. “We should allow our farmers to earn more from their sweat by exploiting new and lucrative markets for them,” he noted.
He made the remarks recently at State House in Nairobi
during a consultative meeting with Governors, Ministry of Investments, Trade
and Industry and Development Partners. The meeting focused on the promotion of
trade, strengthening of market linkages, and the establishment of aggregation centers
and industrial parks in counties. “We have agreed to work together to promote
investment and trade so as to stimulate our country’s economic growth.”
The President insisted that Kenya’s products are premium and much sought-after in the world. He added that land in regions such as Turkana, Mandera, Wajir, among other arid areas should not be lying idle. “Commercial irrigation will turn these regions into our food baskets. Water harvesting will, therefore, form the main part of our country’s transformation plans.”
Source: APO
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