cases from tanzania - Sustainet

4 Agricultural policy in Kenya and Tanzania
Sustainable agriculture solutions Sustainable agriculture offers various solutions to the
problem of free grazing. It creates awareness among farmers of the negative impacts of this
practice, and encourages them to reduce their livestock numbers or to feed them in other
ways (tethering, stall-feeding). It provides other strategies to earn money, so reducing reliance
on animals. It encourages the participatory planning of land use within the community to
resolve conflicts between farmers and livestock keepers.
Policy changes needed Policy changes include the following:
• Strengthen and enforce by-laws to stop free grazing.
• Encourage destocking by promoting other ways to make money.
• Design marketing strategies to encourage farmers to sell their livestock at a young age.
• Encourage farmers to keep their savings in the bank rather than in the form of livestock.
• Promote the improvement of indigenous breeds so that fewer livestock are needed for
the same output.
• Allocate grazing areas to livestock keepers, and encourage farmers who keep livestock
to fence their land to keep their animals away from their crop fields.
infrastructure and services
Infrastructure has greatly deteriorated since the reforms of the 1990s, and government
expenditure on this sector dropped from 63% in 1999 to 54% in 2001. The poor state of
transport, communication, storage facilities and irrigation schemes in rural Kenya and Tanzania
stands out as one of the principal obstacles to agricultural production and marketing.
Adequate investment in infrastructure and its efficient use are crucial if farming is to be
productive and competitive. Poor infrastructure hinders access to services such as credit,
extension, health and education and market information.
Water is a key limiting factor. Except in the highland areas of western Kenya, most farming
depends greatly on unreliable seasonal rainfall. Northern and eastern Kenya, and eastern and
central Tanzania, are relatively dry. Farming is increasingly exposed to climatic extremes, with
drought alternating with floods. For instance, a severe drought in 1999–2000 compounded
Kenya’s problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
Irrigation can provide significant increases in productivity and allow farmers to diversify into
higher value products. While considerable potential exists for expanding irrigation, realizing
this potential will be difficult. Large-scale irrigation schemes are expensive and inappropriate
for small-scale farmers, particularly if staple food crops are grown. Kenya and Tanzania lack
well-developed, locally appropriate means of small-scale irrigation to supplement rainfed agriculture.
The irrigation infrastructure is thin and covers only 4–6% of the total arable land.
Roads, transport and communication, storage and processing facilities are among the most
important physical infrastructure for public as well as private investment. Governments have
long focused on providing such services in and around urban areas, to the neglect of remote
rural regions. Few traders reach villages and small towns. Unless the rural road coverage is
increased significantly, farmers will remain seriously constrained by transport and information
for their inputs and supplies, as well as in their ability to deliver produce to markets.
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