Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has called for greater adoption of technology and innovation in farming as Kenya seeks to increase productivity and improve farmers’ earnings.
Speaking during the opening of the 12th Agritec Africa International Exhibition and Conference at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Kagwe said modern agricultural technologies will play a critical role in addressing challenges facing farmers while making the sector more profitable.
The conference, held alongside the 11th Dairy Livestock & Poultry Expo Africa and the 7th GrainTech Africa Expo, brought together exhibitors, investors and agribusiness players from across the continent and beyond.
This year’s event is themed “Improving Farmers’ Incomes Through Innovation and Technology.”
According to Kagwe, the event has become one of the most important exhibitions in Africa dealing with agricultural issues and uniting the players in the sector to demonstrate solutions that will change the approach to farming and food production.
The Cabinet Secretary praised the organizers of the exhibition, Radeecal Communications, and more than 150 companies participating in it from 25 countries for having chosen Nairobi as the venue of the exhibition and created an environment for sharing information and investing in agriculture.
Kagwe stated that despite continuing efforts of the country to mechanize the agricultural sector, the government has been collaborating with the private sector to eliminate difficulties hampering the use of modern machinery in the field.
One of the problems faced by farmers is the high price of equipment and its adaptability to local conditions.
“Our goal is to ensure farmers have access to practical technologies that improve productivity and ultimately increase their incomes,” he said.
Among other activities during the event was the introduction of Sonalika range of tractors into the Kenya market, a development which is set to widen the choice of farming equipment.
The tractors will be marketed in Kenya by Elgon Kenya Limited with its Managing Director Bimal Kantaria stating that the partnership will help serve farmers who need affordable equipment better.
The inclusion of Sonalika into their product line-up widens the product line-up offered by Elgon Kenya and offers farmers more mechanization options.
Made by Sonalika, the tractors have horsepower ranging from 20 horsepower to 125 horsepower and therefore are useful for both small scale farmers and commercial agricultural enterprises.
Sonalika has operations in more than 150 countries and is one of the world’s largest exporters of tractors. It is thus expected to provide Kenyan market with more choices in the agricultural machinery market.
The exhibition keeps highlighting the growing importance of technology in agriculture, with policy makers and stakeholders pushing for new technologies to boost food production and create employment opportunities for millions of farmers in the region.
