By A, KNA
Nakuru County Government is inching closer to actualising its first ever agroecology policy after the Technical Working Group published a revised draft for final stakeholder review and consensus-building before its formal submission for approval.
Should the draft policy be approved, agroecology will be embedded in existing Nakuru County agricultural, food, environmental and climate change policies so that when implementation and budgetary allocations are made for such policies, agroecology will be part of it.
Livestock, Fisheries, and Veterinary Services Chief Officer Dr Michael Cheruiyot urged stakeholders to give their input to ensure that the policy is inclusive, practical, and implementable.
He noted that agroecology transition cannot be achieved by farmers alone as it requires coordinated action across government, civil society, academia and the private sector.
Dr Cheruiyot stated that the draft document was rooting for investments in research, infrastructure, extension services and market access prioritising farmer led innovations and indigenous knowledge systems.
Speaking after receiving the revised draft policy from the Technical Working Group (TWG), the Chief Officer stated that the proposed agroecology policy is aimed at promoting eco-friendly farming practices, improve food security, reduce malnutrition, and enhance environmental conservation.
He assured that the anticipated policy is a farmer-led initiative focused on sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient agricultural systems.
Nakuru joins other counties promoting agroecology to beat food insecurity and climate challenges. West Pokot, Kiambu and Murang’a have developed their own agroecology policies.
Agroecological practices mimic natural ecosystems to enhance resilience, reduce reliance on harmful inputs and empower smallholder farmers – the backbone of Kenya’s food system.
The Technical Working Group (TWG) drawn from the devolved unit’s Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Environment, shared key highlights and gathered critical feedback that are expected to guide the draft policy’s finalization and adoption.
Various members of TWG observed that agroecology offers an interesting career perspective to youths considering the introduction of digital and other ICT into agroecological practices to support production via timely weather forecasts, pest pressure appearances or identification of weeds or pests, with automated image tools or digitalised soil health self-assessment.
The experts held that agroecology is more labour and knowledge intensive than conventional and industrial agriculture and could therefore counteract rural exodus by creating new jobs and income perspectives for young people.
The Draft policy aims to promote eco-friendly farming practices, improve food security, reduce malnutrition, and enhance environmental conservation.
“The County Agroecology Policy 2025 is a culmination of Stakeholders Validation Meetings organised by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services marking a major milestone in the policy development process,” noted Dr Cheruiyot.
He added “The revised draft policy follows a comprehensive and participatory approach that has included sensitization of key County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) and Chief Officers, consultative engagement with the County Assembly Agriculture Committee, public participation forums, and inputs from the County Agriculture Sector Steering Committee (CASSCOM),”
Chief Officer pointed out that the legal framework is needed to ensure promotion of sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems in the county.
Climate risks pose serious threats to Kenya’s sustainable development goals.
According to estimates from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) by 2030, climate variability and extremes will lead to losses in the agriculture sector equivalent to 2.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product annually.
Now scientists say smallholder farmers can buffer impacts from erratic weather patterns if they consider Agroecology principles, a diversified farming system that aims for longer-term sustainability of the natural ecosystem and social livelihoods besides the production of safe and sufficient food.
Dr Cheruiyot said it was time for decision-makers to reset the course towards Agroecology and Agrobiodiversity based approaches to be able to deal with climate change and provide farmers a decent economic and social livelihood.
He explained that Kenya’s food systems were under immense strain driven by convergence of climate induced shocks, land degradation, biodiversity loss and persistent rural poverty.
This alarming trends, Dr Cheruiyot pointed out compelled policy makers to reaffirm the transformative power of agroecology, a people centered, knowledge rich and ecologically grounded approach to food production and land management.
The Chief Officer stated that they were using various strategies to disseminate training and information including public barazas, extension officers and farmers’ field days towards encouraging locals to embrace agroecology to secure livelihoods and protect the environment.
Dr Cheruiyot affirmed that agro-ecology restores dignity to small holder farmers, rebuilds the health of soils and ecosystems and promotes food sovereignty while strengthening local economies.
The draft policy outlines strategic interventions, regulatory frameworks, and institutional mechanisms necessary for transitioning to agro-ecological practices across the county.
The draft policy is intended to guide the County Government in promoting agroecological farming, restoring ecosystems, reducing post-harvest losses, and ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all Kenyans.
Dr Cheruiyot at the same time called for urgent changes in the country’s farming practices, warning that the country’s food system is under serious threat due to climate change, land degradation, and rising hunger levels.
“Our current food system is stretched to its limits. We are facing increasing food insecurity, soil degradation, and climate pressures,” stated the Chief Officer.
“We must now shift to farming practices that are resilient, sustainable, and people-centered,” he said.
He emphasised that agroecology, a system of farming that works with nature, improves soil health, and supports smallholder farmers, offers a solution that can boost food security and protect the environment at the same time.
“Transforming our food systems is not optional. It is essential if we want to feed our people and preserve our land for future generations,” he added.
Dr Cheruiyot explained that at the heart of agroecology lies the recognition that small-scale farmers are the custodians of Kenya’s land and the engines of the country’s food system.
The Draft policy focuses on improving productivity, environmental sustainability, and livelihoods by promoting indigenous knowledge, farmer-driven innovations, soil health regeneration, and reduced reliance on synthetic chemicals.
The document emphasizes the importance of farmer-led initiatives, soil conservation, and the use of indigenous seeds and organic fertilisers.
The policy also aims to reduce migration in Arid and Semi-arid lands for water and pasture by boosting local productivity.
The Chief Officer indicated that other key aspects of the policy include promoting farmer-led innovations towards developing and implementing their own sustainable solutions, focusing on practices that improve soil fertility and health, protecting and promoting the diversity of plant and animal life in the agricultural ecosystem and preparing agriculture for the impacts of climate change.
He stated that various studies had demonstrated a strong positive link between the application of agroecology principles and climate resilience in Kenya.
“Agroecology builds climate resilience for smallholder farmers. Increased soil health, biodiversity in farming approaches as well as the creation and sharing of locally, peer-generated knowledge has proven to be powerful effects of Agroecology for this,” he added.
Dr Cheruiyot indicated that agroecology provides sustainable solutions to address major challenges that food systems face today, such as variation in food production costs or imported food products due to geo-political developments, dependency of farmers on external inputs (notably chemical fertilizers), power concentration among small number of multinational corporations, lower productivity due to poor soil quality, degradation of natural resources such as water, biodiversity loss and climate change.
“There is robust empirical evidence that agroecology-based approaches can strengthen climate resilience of smallholder farmers and foster a low emissions pathway towards sustainable food systems. Agroecology promotes the diversification of food production systems building on an integrated approach between agro-pastoralism, agroforestry and landscape farming,” the Chief Officer noted.
He pointed out that agroecological practices could improve soil condition and fertility, for example by closing natural resource cycles and ensuring synergies between plants, forests and livestock.
According to the Chief Officer, agroecology fosters locally adapted solutions by putting participation and context-specific knowledge at the centre.
Thus, actors of local food systems are more agile and flexible to adapt to their locally changing conditions and can swiftly replicate climate proofed knowledge through peer-to-peer networks.