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The government is fast-tracking a new policy to help position the country as a hub for agricultural research and development in the sub-Saharan region.

It has initiated plans to review the National Agricultural Research Policy as part of new reforms outlined in the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy 2019-2029 (ASTGS).

In revising the policy, the government argues that it wants to restore vibrancy in the agricultural research industry that contributes to the overarching national policies of economic growth and wealth creation, poverty reduction and gender equity.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya while speaking recently during a national research conference held at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) said reviewing the plan is part of the new attention government has embarked on to reform the agriculture sector.

Kenya boast of first-class research institutes in the region mainly in the coffee, sugar and tea subsectors.

Currently, agricultural research in the sector is undertaken by Kalro that was created in 2013 after the merger of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Coffee Research Foundation, Tea Research Foundation and the Kenya Sugar Research Foundation.

Kalro also oversight 18 research institutes located in different counties

Tea, coffee and sugar value chain players have in the recent past been pushing for separations of their institutes from Kalro, arguing they lack visibility and suffer inadequate funding.

Agriculture ministry is already fast-tracking new bills in key agricultural commodities namley; coffee, tea, sugar, fibre crops, horticultural crops and key in the legislative pieces is reviving the research institutes.

The policy first enacted in 2012, once reorganised will assist in putting in place a system that is consultative, efficient and effective.

Munya said the National Agricultural Research System Policy that is being reviewed seeks to streamline, rationalise and create a consultative, efficient and effective mechanism.

It also takes into account economies of scale to not only use the current scientific, human and physical capacities but also position Kenya as a hub for agricultural research and development in the region, he added.

Munya added: “The policy will thus create an enabling environment for a vibrant agricultural research industry that contributes to the overarching national policies of economic growth and wealth creation, poverty reduction and gender equity.”

To increase productivity in agriculture, the CS said appropriate and responsive research is critical.

Over the years, Munya noted agricultural research has been dependent on donor and development bank funding, with the consequential exposure of research programmes to major fluctuations due to the short-term and ad hoc nature of such support.  

Additionally, an Agricultural Research Fund, is proposed, which shall operate as the major funding arm.

However, the policy does not expressly guide on restructuring of public research institutions that is being handled by other task forces.

“But, for the country to increase rural incomes and be able to compete in both domestic and international markets, a sustained increase in productivity deepened by strong capacity for innovation is essential,” Munya added.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga said the policy seeks to strengthen the coordination of research between national, international research centres, universities, tertiary institutions and industry.

This, he observed, will be achieved by employing mechanisms to promote collaborative utilisation of resources, relevance and responsiveness of research, and a more pluralistic institutional research focus.

“The essence of the research policy is to know who is doing what research, how are they being facilitated, how are they collaborating with others, and how they are linking research to all levels of the value chain,” said Boga.

Oscar Magenya, director in charge of Research and Innovation at the State department for Crops Development and Agriculture Research confirmed that the ministry will soon start collecting views from County governments.

“This process was supposed to happen early this year but it was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We want to collect inputs from all relevant players in order to harmonise all the agriculture research activities from universities, international research centres, public research institutions such as Kalro and private sector,” he said.

Dr Magenya added that after collecting views from all players, the policy will be validated before it is tabled in Parliament by March next year.