This presentation was held by Stephen Vundi Mungula from the SIANI Expert Group in Kenya at the SIANI Annual Meeting 2017.

1. Commercializing Agricultural
Sector in Kenya: Wake the
Kenyan Giant!
Stephen Vundi Mungula,
SIANI Expert Group in Kenya
#SIANI17

2. Commercializing Agricultural Sector
in Kenya: Wake the Kenyan Giant
Stephen Vundi Mungula
Lead Junior Professional - SIANI Kenya

3. Outline
Introduction
The Journey
Experiences and Achievements
Findings from Second Approach
• The origin – SIANI Kenya Chapter (SKCEG)
• Objectives of expert group
• First Approach
• Second Approach
Conclusion and Way Forward
 Why Giant

4. WHY GIANT ?
Driver for economic growth and
transformation…high economic growth
directly linked to increased agric’ production
Percentage of population involved/affected by
agriculture
Kenya agro-ecological zone diversity
Demographic Characteristics - Youth

5. Introduction
 A brainstorming on findings led to the establishment
of a multidisciplinary group of experts.
ASDSP a joint programme by GOS and GOK (3)
baseline survey tell on Commercialization;-
Productivity, Income and Food Security
A worrying trend on 1) Household food security, 2)
Food productivity and incomes 3)
Un(under)employment 4) Youth and Women in
agriculture 5) Land degradation and 6) little/No
commercialization

6. Introduction cont.
Objectives of SIANI Kenya Chapter
What is the current status of the agricultural
sector in Kenya?
Why is the sector the way it is?
How can stakeholders harness the sector’s
potential and remove obstacles to
commercialization?

7. The Journey
Expert Group approach – launched
successfully with a lot of enthusiasm but did
not work. Abandoned after three months
Two approaches were used to accomplish the strategy
Junior expert mentoring approach -
successful and provided information partially
answering what? and why ?questions

8. Mechanization (Cassava) – Country yield of Cassava is
15% of potential. Issues for mechanization; farm size,
access to credit/machine suppliers, information on
technologies along value chain
Findings from Second Approach
Farmer organization (dairy) – Only 55% of small-scale
farmers sell produce vs 85% needed to be
commercialized. Collective action from production to
marketing can improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Issues; human and institutional capacities
Profitability (maize) – Maize cannot be profitable at
subsistence level. OPVs at subsistence higher gross
margins than hybrid. At present yield level, per capita
income of 5 cents/day/ha

9. Agricultural data – Limited emphasis and low
prioritization in use of data have led to little/no
use in decision and policy making. All the
agricultural indicators have been produced
through estimation arising from sample
surveys.
 Because of limited/unreliable data not
evidence based policy making
Findings from Second Approach

10. Experiences and Achievements
SE Approach did not work- WHY?- Competing
need, time, monetary compensation, gasp of
concept- ( may work in next phase)
Process rigorous, some JE dropped off – need
for qualitative selection of JE
Technical capacities of fresh graduates in critical
analysis and communication of scientific issues
wanting
Require commitment from both mentees (JE) and
mentors (SE)
On objectives ? What – some, Why- some,
How- next SIANI phase

11. Many stakeholders in the agricultural sector all
trying to commercialize agriculture
Conclusions and Way forward
Output papers give evidence that
commercialization is superficially being
addressed
Need for deeper understanding of
commercialization and sharing of this to
stakeholders
Need to develop adequate policies to make
agriculture a driver of rural transformation

12. THANK
YOU