Kenya is a net importer of most goods and services, a majority of which can be produced locally, reducing unemployment and improving Kenyans’ standards of living, says Boni Wanjau from Daily Nation.
"Most of our exports are agricultural-based products such as coffee, tea, flowers, and some legumes. Although there has been an improvement on coffee and tea bonuses paid to farmers, more needs to be done."
"Kenya has some natural resources and additional products that it can export in large quantities if the right policies are made," he told.
These resources included vegetables and maize among others and could help increase productivity, meaning better returns to first-hand participants, and could ensure rapid industrialisation, Wanjau tells.
"Policies to curb unnecessary importation could help local industries and stimulate industrial expansion. This will be a major turning point by limiting our imports to only goods and services that are not locally produced."
"If desert countries like Israel can do more farming than Kenya, then it’s a shame on us since we have fertile land and a big population to work in farms. Let’s modernise and carry out farmer training by reintroducing agricultural extension officers," Wanjau finished.
Source: nation.co.ke
