WTO protocols; (b) high production costs compared to other sugar-producing
countries in the region (e.g. Tanzania); (c) poor governance and management;
(d) insufficient funding and (e) inadequate research and extension services (KSI
2009; GoK 2007a).
The coffee sector plays an important role in the national economy in terms of
income/employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and tax revenue generation. Coffee production increased rapidly in the first two decades following the
1963 independence, with the total coffee output from large estates and smaller
cooperatives increasing from 43,778 tons in 1963, to 130,000 tons in 1988. Since
then, however, the coffee industry has been on a downward trend, with the total
output reaching only 53,400 metric tonnes in 2007 (GoK 2007b). Coffee output
further declined in the following decade, reaching about 41,000 tons in 2017
(FAOSTAT 2019). As a result, the contribution of the coffee sector to the national
economy has declined appreciably (Thuku et al. 2013). The sector faces many
challenges including monopolistic practices, cooperative mismanagement, repeated
droughts, decreasing international prices and weak infrastructure (Condliffe et al.
2008).
Tea cultivation and production have expanded from 18,000 tonnes and 21,488 ha
(Nyagito 2001) (in 1963), to 328,500 tonnes and 141,300 ha, respectively, in 2005
(CBS 2005). The tea output and cultivation area increased further to 293,670 tonnes
and 218,538 ha, respectively, in 2017 (FAOSTAT 2019). In 2002, Kenya was
second only to Sri Lanka in exports of black tea (Bassett 2010). The success of tea
sector has been attributed to the (a) supportive government policies following
independence that have integrated successfully the small-scale growers into the
sector, (b) adoption of high-yielding varieties mainly developed nationally by the
Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) and (c) selective application of herbicides and improved planting and cultivation methods (Kagira et al. 2012; Onduru
et al. 2012). On the other side, obstacles facing tea smallholders include the
prolonged droughts, lack of credit facilities and poor road infrastructure to transport
the produced tea (Gesimba et al. 2005).
Since 2001, several policy initiatives have sought to support the agricultural
sector, both targeting the main industrial crops discussed above and the broader
sector. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (2001–2004) developed different
initiatives aiming to achieve sustainable growth in the agricultural sector through
improved extension services, provision of credit to smallholders, improvement of
rural infrastructure, development of stronger marketing links and capacity-building
for institutions implementing these initiatives (GoK 2001). The Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture (2004–2014) aimed at reversing the declining performance of
the agricultural sector by introducing new management approaches including drastic
changes in the operation ministries overseeing the sector and their interaction with
other key stakeholders. The strategy emphasizes on the role of private–public
partnerships as a means of facilitating competition, enhancing market performance
and raising resource utilization efficiency (GoK 2004). The Kenya Rural Development Strategy (2002–2017) has been a longer term framework emphasizing on food
security as the first step towards poverty alleviation and equitable growth and rural
3 Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa:. . .
99
countries in the region (e.g. Tanzania); (c) poor governance and management;
(d) insufficient funding and (e) inadequate research and extension services (KSI
2009; GoK 2007a).
The coffee sector plays an important role in the national economy in terms of
income/employment generation, foreign exchange earnings and tax revenue generation. Coffee production increased rapidly in the first two decades following the
1963 independence, with the total coffee output from large estates and smaller
cooperatives increasing from 43,778 tons in 1963, to 130,000 tons in 1988. Since
then, however, the coffee industry has been on a downward trend, with the total
output reaching only 53,400 metric tonnes in 2007 (GoK 2007b). Coffee output
further declined in the following decade, reaching about 41,000 tons in 2017
(FAOSTAT 2019). As a result, the contribution of the coffee sector to the national
economy has declined appreciably (Thuku et al. 2013). The sector faces many
challenges including monopolistic practices, cooperative mismanagement, repeated
droughts, decreasing international prices and weak infrastructure (Condliffe et al.
2008).
Tea cultivation and production have expanded from 18,000 tonnes and 21,488 ha
(Nyagito 2001) (in 1963), to 328,500 tonnes and 141,300 ha, respectively, in 2005
(CBS 2005). The tea output and cultivation area increased further to 293,670 tonnes
and 218,538 ha, respectively, in 2017 (FAOSTAT 2019). In 2002, Kenya was
second only to Sri Lanka in exports of black tea (Bassett 2010). The success of tea
sector has been attributed to the (a) supportive government policies following
independence that have integrated successfully the small-scale growers into the
sector, (b) adoption of high-yielding varieties mainly developed nationally by the
Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) and (c) selective application of herbicides and improved planting and cultivation methods (Kagira et al. 2012; Onduru
et al. 2012). On the other side, obstacles facing tea smallholders include the
prolonged droughts, lack of credit facilities and poor road infrastructure to transport
the produced tea (Gesimba et al. 2005).
Since 2001, several policy initiatives have sought to support the agricultural
sector, both targeting the main industrial crops discussed above and the broader
sector. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (2001–2004) developed different
initiatives aiming to achieve sustainable growth in the agricultural sector through
improved extension services, provision of credit to smallholders, improvement of
rural infrastructure, development of stronger marketing links and capacity-building
for institutions implementing these initiatives (GoK 2001). The Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture (2004–2014) aimed at reversing the declining performance of
the agricultural sector by introducing new management approaches including drastic
changes in the operation ministries overseeing the sector and their interaction with
other key stakeholders. The strategy emphasizes on the role of private–public
partnerships as a means of facilitating competition, enhancing market performance
and raising resource utilization efficiency (GoK 2004). The Kenya Rural Development Strategy (2002–2017) has been a longer term framework emphasizing on food
security as the first step towards poverty alleviation and equitable growth and rural
3 Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa:. . .
99