PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Kenya: IFAD to finance cereals productions in Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have signed an agreement to finance the Kenya Cereal Enhancement Programme-Climate-Resilient Livelihoods Agricultural Window (KCEP-CRAL), the government said here Friday.
Ten Thousand smallholder farmers, including women-headed households and young people whose livelihoods depend on maize, sorghum and millet, among others, will benefit from the programme.
The beneficiaries live in eight eastern and coastal semi-arid counties of Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi.
The Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry said the overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the national food security by increasing cereal yields in areas of potentially high productivity.
The programme will also provide support to farmers as they graduate from subsistence to commercial agriculture, and will support smallholder farmers to identify and undertake appropriate, productive and climate-resilient crop practices suited for arid and semi-arid lands.
In addition, it will improve as well as stabilize productivity through adoption of good agricultural practices, conservation agriculture and better water conservation techniques.
The total KCEP-CRAL cost is US$118 million, comprising of a US$61.8 million IFAD loan, a grant of US$10 million from IFAD’s Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), a US$2 million IFAD grant to the Food and Agriculture Organization for capacity building and agricultural services for farming communities, an US$11.7 million co-financing by the European Union, a US$1.5 million contribution by the Government of Kenya while beneficiaries themselves are contributing US$29.1 million.
The remaining funding of US$1.9 million will come from the contribution of national financial institutions to be identified.
The programme will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of Kenya.
The financing agreement was signed in Rome by Josephine Wangari Gaita, Kenya's Ambassador and Permanent Representative, and IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze, on 26 Aug. 2015.
-0- PANA DJ/SEG 28Aug2015
Ten Thousand smallholder farmers, including women-headed households and young people whose livelihoods depend on maize, sorghum and millet, among others, will benefit from the programme.
The beneficiaries live in eight eastern and coastal semi-arid counties of Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi.
The Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry said the overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the national food security by increasing cereal yields in areas of potentially high productivity.
The programme will also provide support to farmers as they graduate from subsistence to commercial agriculture, and will support smallholder farmers to identify and undertake appropriate, productive and climate-resilient crop practices suited for arid and semi-arid lands.
In addition, it will improve as well as stabilize productivity through adoption of good agricultural practices, conservation agriculture and better water conservation techniques.
The total KCEP-CRAL cost is US$118 million, comprising of a US$61.8 million IFAD loan, a grant of US$10 million from IFAD’s Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), a US$2 million IFAD grant to the Food and Agriculture Organization for capacity building and agricultural services for farming communities, an US$11.7 million co-financing by the European Union, a US$1.5 million contribution by the Government of Kenya while beneficiaries themselves are contributing US$29.1 million.
The remaining funding of US$1.9 million will come from the contribution of national financial institutions to be identified.
The programme will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of Kenya.
The financing agreement was signed in Rome by Josephine Wangari Gaita, Kenya's Ambassador and Permanent Representative, and IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze, on 26 Aug. 2015.
-0- PANA DJ/SEG 28Aug2015
