What the census results means to the farmer

President Uhuru Kenyatta announcing the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census results at State House, Nairobi. Photo: courtesy 

President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the national census report 2019 that Kenya’s population has grown by 9.9 million over the last ten years to reach a total of 47.6 million this year.

Among the key agenda on President Uhuru, Agenda Four is ensuring food security in the country. One of the main issues facing the youth today despite being highly educated is the lack of jobs or unemployment and massive lay off of the labour force in the private sector.

The President during this year’s annual Nairobi International Trade Fair at the Jamhuri Park Showground said that the average age of a Kenyan farmer is 59 years while the average age of the consumer is 17 years.

The Kenyan youth presume that farming is for the old and retired and many usually prefer to move to the cities to look for white-collar jobs. This can be proved with the high population reported in the cities which according to the census report says that Nairobi and Mombasa are the most populated counties with a total population total of 4.3 million and 1.2 million respectively.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics census report further notes that Nairobi has a population density of 6,247 people per square kilometre.

People consume three meals a day which creates more market and opportunity for the local farmer. The growing population presents a ready market for food produce, food being a basic need.

This calls for farmers and any potential farmers to take farming as an agribusiness and make a living out of it.

Gone are the days when being a doctor, lawyer, pilot was everyone’s dream job. Today very many people are educated and have more experience in these jobs which they probably will not leave any time soon.

Farming is the new cool and only sure job opportunity. Farming is diverse with a huge option to choose the crops to grow or animals to rear. Farmers attest there is money in farming when taken seriously. Each crop or animal product has a market and consumer-ready to spend on it.

The youth are encouraged to take up farming and practice what they are passionate about to ensure food sustainability with the growing population. There is so much to choose from such as dairy farming, beef farming, horticulture, poultry, aquaculture and so much more in the value chain.

Opportunities in farming are ever-growing and a farmer can learn more besides growing and keeping animals to value addition through online sources such as websites like Farmers.co.ke, Farmers Tv and YouTube videos on Farmers Tv, anywhere anytime.

Some of the value-added products include yoghurt, banana flour, fruit juices, crickets flour used to make cookies, snails as food and so much more.

The Government too fosters the participation of the youth in agriculture by prioritising the creation and adoption of programs that ease access to land, financing, mechanization, and knowledge among our youth, said the President.

With patience and hard work, a farmer can plant and rear animals to maturity and reap big becoming self-reliable from increased agricultural productivity in the country.

One does not have to own land but with a little capital can hire out land and practice farming at rates of about 10,000 per year for an acre.

Recently with counties like Kirinyaga giving their residents free seedlings, the youth should come together and form groups to get the seedlings and livestock for free from their county government programs.

Groups and societies also ensure easy access to funds and better sale of produce avoiding brokers who take advantage of farmers and buy produce at low prices and sell at hefty prices.

There is also the presence of high yielding seed varieties and drought-resistant crops and animals a farmer can take advantage of and invest in dry and semi-arid areas such as Katumani maize and Boran bulls.

With a steady population growth [9.9 million over the last 10 years], it means that venturing into agribusiness is a guaranteed source of income presently and for the future which also promotes food sustainability. 


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