Country Focus
Agriculture
- The case of Kenya
Agriculture remains the most
grow cash crops.
ownership. European-owned
important economic activity in Kenya,
From independence in 1963 to the oil
agriculture remains generally large-
although less than 8% of the land is
crisis in 1973, the agricultural sector
scale and almost entirely commercial.
used for crop and feed production.
expanded by undergoing two basic
After the 1973 oil crisis, agricultural
Less than 20% of the land is suitable
changes: first, widespread
growth slowed as less untapped land
for cultivation, of which only 12% is
acceptance of private ownership
became available. Government
classified as high potential (adequate
(replacing tribal ownership) and cash
involvement in marketing coupled with
rainfall) agricultural land and about
crop farming; second, the success of
inefficient trade and exchange rate
8% is medium potential land. The rest
intensive nationwide efforts to expand
policies discouraged production during
of the land is arid or semiarid. About
and upgrade the production of African
the 1970s. Coffee production booms in
80% of the work force engages in
smallholders. Before World War II
the late 1970s and in 1986 have in the
agriculture or food processing.
( 1 9 3 9 – 4 5 ) e n d e d , a g r i c u l t u ra l
past temporarily helped the economy in
Farming in Kenya is typically carried
development occurred almost
its struggle away from deficit spending
out by small producers who usually
exclusively in the "White Highlands,"
and monetary expansion. Although the
cultivate no more than two hectares
an area of some 31,000 sq km
expansion of agricultural export crops
(about five acres) using limited
(12,000 sq mi) allocated to immigrant
has been the most important factor in
technology. These small farms,
white settlers and plantation
stimulating economic development,
operated by about three million
companies. Since independence, as
much agricultural activity is also
farming families, account for 75% of
part of a land consolidation and
directed toward providing food for
total production. Although there are
resettlement policy, the Kenya
d o m e s t i c c o n s u m p t i o n . Ke nya ' s
still important European-owned
government, with financial aid from
agriculture is sufficiently diversified to
coffee, tea, and sisal plantations, an
the United Kingdom, has gradually
produce nearly all of the nation's basic
increasing number of peasant farmers
transferred large areas to African
foodstuffs. To some extent, Kenya also
July - August 2016
[10]FARMERS
REVIEW AFRICA
www.farmersreviewafrica.com