President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that the country is well positioned to lead the continent in Agriculture and Trade.

Uhuru, who was speaking when he officially opened the 2018 Agricultural Society of Kenya Show (Nairobi ASK Show) at Jamhuri Park, maintained that Horticulture is the fastest growing sector in Kenya.

FOOD SECURITY

Uhuru maintained that Food security remains a priority in Kenya’s development agenda and the national government will continue leading the way in addressing the major challenges facing the agriculture sector.

“Under the Big 4 Agenda, we have committed to focus and to ensure that by 2022, our nation is FoodSecure. We must conquer hunger; we have to live true to what inspired our freedom fighters,” Uhuru said.

In line with This Year’s Nairobi International Trade Fair’s theme: “Innovation and Technology in Agriculture, the president also announced that the government is working on digitizing farmers records.

“We are preparing e-registration for all farmers,” He said.

Uhuru also said that although Tea, horticulture and coffee remain our top export earners there is need to diversify our offering and broaden our export basket through value addition.

“We are putting emphasis on the production of avocados and cashew nuts, owing to an increasing demand.

He assured farmers that his government will support them.

“We have selected a mix of policies that meet Kenya farmers’ needs, both now and in the longer term,” he said.

LOW TURNOUT

The public turnout as one trader, who only identified himself as Joseph, observed in this year’s Nairobi ASK Show is relatively low, which he attributed to the high cost of living.

“Watu hawana pesa kabisa. Maisha imekuwa ngumu (people don’t have money at all, life has become difficult) ” he said.

Sentiments echoed by a Kenya Bus Service conductor.

“on other days the busses are always full and business is always good during the Show season but this year its like nothing is going on,” Mwangi said.