Africa Harvest Contributes to Agricultural Policy Enhancement in Busia County
By Victoria Thiga- Program Manager, Youth and Gender Specialist
Africa Harvest participated in a two-day stakeholder engagement workshop in Busia County. As a key development partner within the county for the last 12 years, implementing various projects, Africa Harvest was invited to support the review of several bills designed to provide more structure to the agriculture sector. The team, led by Jessica Onyony (Programs Admin & HR) and Victoria Thiga (Gender & Youth Lead), provided valuable insights and contributions to the Agriculture Sector Coordination (CASSCOM) Bill, the Agricultural Training and Resource Center (AT & RC) Bill, the Agricultural Mechanization Services Bill, and the County Fisheries Regulations. These contributions were made during the review sessions held on July 3rd and 4th, 2024, at the Agricultural Training Center (ATC) in Busia County.
The formation of sub-county and ward-level steering committees will also ensure the proper vetting of farmers, including special groups such as women and youth, and better service delivery. The establishment of the Agricultural Training and Resource Center (AT& RC)will benefit the youth by providing a partnership with the private sector players to utilize the institution’s facilities for farm trials and incubation for viable agri-business, as proposed in the general functions.
This provides an opportunity for Africa Harvest to establish DTC digital hubs and link youth farmers to AT & RC for further skill development. The regulations will benefit all stakeholders, especially farmers, by improving training services, issuing operating licenses, and increasing access to mechanization. This enhanced coordination will ensure better support and resources for farmers.
In his remarks, CECM George Mukok highlighted the need to expand NGO membership within the CASSCOMs, formalize all engagements, and establish mechanisms for guaranteed funding to ensure continuity in coordination activities.
