Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on Kenyan farmers to embrace precision agriculture to address the threat posed by El Niño to the country’s food supply. Speaking at the Agricultural and Food Security Transformation Summit in Nairobi, Kindiki emphasized the need for advanced farming techniques to enhance productivity and ensure food security.
The summit, held at the Jamhuri Park ASK Showground, focused on transforming Kenya’s agricultural sector through innovation and efficiency. Kindiki highlighted the importance of reducing input costs to improve returns for farmers, a strategy aimed at strengthening the sector’s resilience against climate-related challenges.
This push for precision farming comes as El Niño is expected to cause erratic weather patterns, affecting crop yields and livestock. Kindiki noted that adopting modern technologies could help farmers adapt to these conditions and maintain stable food production. The government has been working to lower the cost of agricultural inputs, including fertilizers and seeds, to make farming more profitable and sustainable.
Kenya has long faced challenges in ensuring food security, with climate change exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. The government’s focus on precision agriculture aligns with broader efforts to modernize the sector and reduce dependency on volatile weather conditions. The summit also aimed to foster collaboration between farmers, researchers, and policymakers to drive sustainable agricultural growth.
The initiative reflects Kenya’s growing recognition of the role of technology in addressing food insecurity. By promoting precision farming, the government seeks to empower farmers with tools that can optimize resource use and increase output, even in the face of environmental uncertainty.
