M I N I S T R Y O F A G R I C U L T U R E I N C O L L A B O R A T I O N W I T H

K E N Y A O R G A N I C A G R I C U L T U R E N E T W O R K

P R E S E N T A T I O N T O

E A S T A F R I C A N O R G A N I C C O N F E R E N C E , D A R E S S A L A A M O N

2 J U L Y 2 0 1 3 K I N Y U A K A M A R U , M O A , K E N Y A

NATIONAL ORGANIC AGRICULTURE POLICY

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION IN KENYA

Presentation Outline

�  Introduction to Agricultural Sector in Kenya �  Organic Agriculture in Kenya �  Importance of Organic Agriculture in Kenya �  Rationale for National Organic Agriculture

Development Policy �  Current status of organic development policy �  Development process of the policy �  Outstanding steps to policy completion �  Acknowledgement

Introduction to Agriculture Sector in Kenya…

�  Kenya has an area of about 587,000 km² out of which 11,000 km² is water.

�  About 16% of the 576,000 km² land mass is of high and medium agricultural potential with adequate and reliable rainfall.

�  Cropland occupies 31%, grazing land 30% and forests 22%.

�  Other uses including game parks, urban centres, markets, homesteads and infrastructure take-up the remaining 17%

•  Agriculture is the mainstay of Kenya's economy, directly contributing 26% of GDP and 25% indirectly.

•  The sector accounts for 65% of total exports and around 18% of the formal employment.

•  The agricultural sector comprises crops, livestock, fisheries, land water, cooperatives, environment, regional development and forestry.

•  The Agricultural Sector Development Strategy (2010 – 2020) has prioritized development of policies and legislation as one of its objectives.

•  The National Organic Agriculture Development Policy is one of the policies being formulated.

Introduction to Agriculture Sector in Kenya

Organic Agriculture in Kenya

�  The organic sub-sector is relatively small but fast growing especially in fruit and vegetable export components.

�  Formal organic agriculture in Kenya dates back to the early eighties when the first pioneer organic training institutions were established.

�  By 2011 the subsector had grown to 151,371 hectares of certified organic land.

�  Demand is high and largely going unmet �  There are companies now listed as producing organic

products for local and international markets, large supermarket outlets and restaurants are selling organic products and food

Importance of Organic Agriculture in Kenya

�  The sub-sector has gained increased importance in its contribution to: •  food security •  environmental conservation •  gender empowerment •  Diversification of markets and premium prices

•  Organic agriculture provides a cheap means of replenishing depleted soil nutrients

•  Enhanced health due to reduced chemical residual intake

Promoting Organic Agriculture

Extension to organic farmers

Rationale for National Organic Agriculture Development Policy

•  The National Organic Agriculture Development Policy will: •  promote the industry and give direction to the sub-

sector •  enhance production and development of the local and

export market leading to increased income earned by the organic stakeholders and improved standards of living

•  strengthen and raise the profile of the sub-sector hence more support from both the public and private sectors; and,

•  Ultimately, contribute towards poverty eradication and improved food and nutrition security

•  The National Organic Agriculture Policy development process began in 2010.

•  Key milestone on the policy cycles have been covered including policy concern, policy analysis and options, draft policy formulation and stakeholder dialogue.

•  A number of programmes and projects are being implemented by various stakeholders to promote organic agriculture.

Development process of the policy…

Promoting Organic Agriculture

Organic crop

Current status of the draft National OA Policy

2. Policy Analysis & Options

3. Draft Policy Formulation

4. Stakeholder Dialogue

5. Cabinet Secretary: - Policy - Bill - Cabinet Memo

6. Cabinet 7. Attorney General

8. Parliament

9. Act and Legal Notice

10. Strategy

1. Policy Concern

NOTES •  Rectangles 1and 2 indicate stages that have been completed. •  Rectangle 3 and 4 indicate the stages that require further dialogue. •  Rectangles 5 and 6 indicate what requires to be done. •  Rectangles 7-9 indicate optional stages. •  Rectangle 10 indicates implementation.

Development process of the policy…

•  Policy concerns –  Inadequate research and development –  Weak research-extension-farmer linkages –  Lack of a policy framework explicit on organic agriculture –  Low consumer awareness on organic products and their

benefits –  Inadequate support of out-growers in capacity building

and organisation with a view to strengthening their knowledge and skills in meeting market demands.

Promoting Organic Agriculture

Organic Products

Development process of the policy…

•  Policy Analysis & Options - Mainstreaming OA in Government plans and programs - Enhanced research and technology development - Strengthened research-extension-farmer linkage -Instituting measures of making organic farm inputs affordable

for increased productivity -Ensuring development, packaging and dissemination of

appropriate technical information

Development process of the policy…

•  Draft Policy Formulation – issues addressed in the draft Policy document include: –  Research and Technology Development –  Extension and Training –  Organic Inputs –  Production –  Processing and Value Addition –  Markets and Marketing –  Institutional Framework

�  Stakeholder Dialogue

- Consultative Meetings held by KOAN and MoA to discuss the OA draft Policy document

- Field visits supported by KOAN and the MoA - A KOAN Members Meeting for review of the draft Policy - Technical Committee Retreats - A National Stakeholders Workshop

Development process of the policy…

•  An action plan detailing the areas that need strengthening between organic stakeholders led by KOAN and MoA in the policy document was formulated

•  Wider stakeholder dialogue ,consultation and incorporation into the policy particularly because of the shift to County Government systems

•  Consultation meetings and Retreat for Technical committee to polish the Draft

•  Cabinet Memo – to be prepared to forward the draft policy •  Lobbying and Advocacy fora for members of cabinet ,MPs

Outstanding steps to policy completion…

Outstanding steps to policy completion

�  Strategy: to be prepared after the Sessional Paper has been passed by cabinet.

�  Monitoring and Evaluation of implementation of policy

Acknowledgement

�  Support for this process has come from Organic Standards of East Africa (OSEA)II, a project to develop and popularize the East African Organic Mark received funding and included was a policy support component and HIVOS

End

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