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Assignment 1-Why The Mechanization Endevour Has Not Been A Smooth One For Kenya
Assignment 1-Why The Mechanization Endevour Has Not Been A Smooth One For Kenya
F21/2257/2017
FEB 511
WHY THE MECHANIZATION ENDEVOUR HAS NOT BEEN A SMOOTH
Introduction
Mechanization can be explained as the use of hand tools and animal drawn implements as well as
motorized equipment to reduce human effort, to perform certain farming operations that cannot be
accomplished by other means or within the time available and to improve the quality of others.
According to Mutua et al., 2014, records from the Kenya revenue authority (KRA), revealed that four-
wheel tractor (4WTs) sales in Kenya have risen slowly since 1961 when only 6,422 units were
operational. This rose to 12,844 units in 2002 which translates to one tractor to 195 hectare. Most 4WTs
operating in the country are in the large commercial farms, both in the public and private sectors,
including sugarcane, wheat/barley, tea and maize. Tractor ownership among small scale Kenyan farmers
stands at 5% and use of this machine is declining because of continuous land fragmentation (Bymolt and
Zaal, 2015).
This paper seeks to focus more on the journey of mechanization looking at how the youth, the industry
Youth
Agriculture is perceived to be an occupation that is practiced by the uneducated, poor, rural or old people,
(FAO, 2006). Njeru and Gichimu ( 2014), noted that most of the youth prefer white collar jobs despite the
vast number of unemployed youth. The youth in Kenya are characterized as the age between 18-35yrs
(KNBS 2019). Statistics are currently showing that 78.31% of Kenyans are below the age of 35yrs. It also
furthers states that 64% of the persons in Kenya are unemployed youth. Therefore, it can be concluded
from these statistics that the that the youth are among the poor. However even in the high unemployment
rate in the formal sector, there is high prevalence among the youth not to engage in the agricultural sector.
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This in itself has played a major roll in the journey of mechanization in Kenya since the people who are
involving themselves in agriculture are the old age bracket in the society whose levels of innovation and
Migration theory by Harris and Todaro (1970) explained the theory of migration by Everett S. Lee (1966)
it explains the push and pull factor that makes the youth to move from the rural areas and migrate to
urban areas in search of opportunities, education and high paying jobs in the cities. This poses a challenge
in agriculture and eventually in agricultural mechanization since the population left in the rural area is an
old population and also a population which is not well educated in the emerging issues and it further
contributes to the slow adaptations of modern farming methods which includes mechanization.
Devolution
The promulgation of Kenya’s Constitution in 2010 enunciated a plethora of reforms key amongst them
being; devolution of various sectors including agriculture. Devolved framework for agriculture is
anchored in Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule, providing that the national government shall have exclusive
responsibility of agricultural policy formulation whilst the county government shall facilitate, implement
and oversee all other agricultural related matters including the implementation of national policies on
agriculture.
However, A study conducted by Muatha, Otieno, and Nyikal (2017) on determinants of smallholder
farmer’s awareness of agricultural extension devolution in Kenya revealed that farmer’s awareness of
devolution of agriculture services remains below average. This, as the researchers established, resulted in
low production as the farmers in Meru, where the study was conducted. From the study, it was evident
that farmers lacked knowledge of what or how they are to gain from a devolved ministry of agriculture, as
the change from National to County governance did not have much civic education.
It is with such reasons that the journey of agricultural mechanization has not been an easy ride in Kenya.
However right now devolution has made some several strides since its implementation in (2013). This is
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evident from the studies shown recently that the percentage of farmers having tractors or farmers using
tractors to plough their land has increase by a significant percentage. This is a very good step towards
Industry
With regards to the industry, in the resent past the government of Kenya had not been promoting local
manufactures and assemblers who are the key people in the journey to mechanization. The government
had placed very high taxes and made working environment to the local firms impossible to work. Because
of this it was very hard to come with an industry focusing on agricultural mechanization inputs. However,
in the resent past the goverment was waivered and offered incentives to those local industries, and car
dealers who engauge themselves in importation of tractors and farm related machinery. Due to this it has
been noted that there has been an increase in farmers who are using tractors and the level of
Mechanization has led to use of modern implements which requires regular servicing and repairs.
Industries are able to offer these services to farmers hence making mechanization sustainable. Industries
are now encouraging their specialists to innovate in agricultural sector which is a major to in agricultural
sector Though industrialization in Kenya have not been using most current technologies ,it is clear that a
References
Bymolt, R., & Zaal, F. (2015). Moving to Mechanization: Mechanization in Maize Farming
FAO (2006). Farm power and mechanization in sub-Saharan Africa. Sims, BG and Kienzle, J.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy. Agricultural and
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A key input for sub-Saharan Africa smallholders. Food & Agriculture Org.
Gichimu, B. M., & Njeru, L. K. (2014). Influence of access to land and finances on Kenyan
Mutua et. al. 2014. Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable
Silveira, J. J., Espíndola, A. L., & Penna, T. J. P. (2006). Agent-based model to rural–urban
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