Sessional Paper No. 04 of 2011 on National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy (NASEP)

Abstract

The agricultural sector provides a livelihood for about 80 percent of Kenya's population, most of whom are subsistence farmers in rural areas. The sector contributes about 24 per cent to the GDP and another 27 per cent indirectly through sector economic linkages; it accounts for 65 per cent of the country's export earnings. The Government, therefore, emphasizes on stimulating growth in the sector as outlined in the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy 2010-2020 (ASDS). A well-functioning agricultural extension service operated by the public and private sectors is one of the critical inputs required for increased agricultural productivity to transform subsistence farming into modern and commercial farming, attain food security, improve incomes and reduce poverty. It is, therefore, important to ensure that agricultural extension services are adequately funded, well coordinated and regulated. Effective linkages between extension service providers (ESPs) and other stakeholders involved in technology development and provision of facilitating factors are essential. Historically, the country has used various extension management systems with varying degrees of success. These included whole farm extension approach, integrated agricultural development approach, and training and visit approach. These approaches had weaknesses: they were top-down and prescriptive with high demand on human, capital and financial resources. The NAEP addressed these weaknesses by articulating the importance of clientele participation and demand-driven extension system; recognizing the role of the private sector in pluralistic extension; and setting out modalities for commercialization and privatization of extensions services. The implementation of NAEP was less successful than initially anticipated due to inadequate institutional arrangements, narrow ownership, lack of a legal framework, lack of goodwill and commitment among some of the top managers, and slow flow of resources. These, coupled with the need to bring on board emerging issues articulated in the Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture {SRA), justified the need to review NAEP.