AGRICULTURE IS AFRICA’S JAB FOR FOOD INSECURITY

In Africa, the agriculture sector is essential for growth, poverty reduction, and food security. More than half of rural employment in Sub- Saharan Africa consists of self-employed farmers, many of whom are women. Agriculture contributes 12 percent to Kenya’s GDP, and GDP growth originating in agriculture is about four times more effective in reducing poverty than GDP growth originating outside the sector. It is also the largest source of foreign exchange, accounting for about 40 percent of the continent’s hard currency earnings; and the main generator of savings and tax revenues. The sector also remains the dominant provider of industrial raw materials with about two-thirds of manufacturing value-added in most African countries being based on agricultural raw materials.

Agriculture in Kenya continues to dominate Kenya's economy, although only 15–17 percent of Kenya's total land area has sufficient fertility and rainfall to be farmed, and only 7–8 percent can be classified as first-class land.

Almost 75 percent of working Kenyans made their living by farming, compared with 80 percent in the earlier days. About one-half of Kenya's total agricultural output is non-marketed subsistence production.

A report by the African Development Bank Group indicates that agriculture supports some 70-80 percent of the total population in Africa, including 70 percent of the continent’s extreme poor and undernourished. This means labor-intensive growth in the sector holds much promise for poverty reduction. Long-term investments aimed at boosting agricultural productivity will contribute to inclusive growth by creating employment opportunities for women and youth. Likewise, the agricultural sector is crucial for finding paths to development that will ease pressure on natural assets while managing environmental and socioeconomic risks better.

Unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential and tackling food insecurity will require sustained coordinated investment using an integrated value-chain approach. While these interventions may be initiated by the public sector, there is need for increased linkages with the private sector, by promoting PPPs in agricultural projects and programs.

  

Food insecurity

There are several products that are exhibited during agricultural shows but they are not implemented outside despite the technologies that are involved in them. Therefore, there is need to strengthen extension services and food security.

Globally, the socio-economic growth of any country is based on the transformation of knowledge, science and technology into goods and services. Integration of Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) into national production processes is central to the success of Government’s policy priorities and programmes that lead to development, growth and competitiveness based on new innovative ideas as outlined under Kenya Vision 2030.  This is of significance in this era of demands of global economic competitiveness, sustainable development and equity concerns.

Development of the necessary scientific and technological infrastructure as well as the technical and entrepreneurial skills is an essential prerequisite to the transformation of Kenya into a knowledge-based society. This is because Knowledge-based economies are at advantage in today’s liberalized global market. 

Kenya, and Africa in general is faced with enormous challenges; scientific interventions are needed to ensure food security in the context of climate change. Africa continent should therefore embrace the emerging technologies like modern biotechnology normally undergo risk assessments making them even safer than their conventional counterparts that we normally consume without knowing the risks involved.

As a response to market failure, or as an effort to accelerate market-driven social change, technology transfer may combine public and private sector or rely solely on public institutional mechanisms to identify, develop, and deliver innovations and information. The challenges to technology transfer efforts center on developing indigenous capacity to generate and adapt agricultural technology to local conditions. This is the primary objective of technology transfer in agriculture and the basis for advancing rural development.

The main aim of technology transfer is to modernize economies and transform the way products are produced so countries become more efficient and productive within the global market system. The technology to be transferred is said to not only benefit large scale production, but also to assist small producers and manufacturers of goods, be they in the agricultural sector or otherwise.

A new technology must be socially acceptable and beneficial on many levels, adding to the overall capacity of communities to maintain healthy and sustainable livelihoods.

In a globalized economy, technology licensing and transfer of technology are important factors in strategic alliances and international joint ventures in order to maintain a competitive edge in a market economy.

For this nation to grow to a sustainable economy, the Government should put more focus on agriculture as it creates employment opportunities for youth and helps in promoting more women in farming.

GOOD LEADERSHIP PROMOTES CULTURE OF INNOVATION

Innovation involves the process of turning ideas into reality and causes an impact to the society. It springs from the creativity and brings about change by introducing new tools, products and processes.

Innovation takes place at different levels from modest improvements on an existing product or process to dramatic and even historically significant breakthroughs in how we relate to the world. In all cases, the capacity to innovate will be a function of our commitments, what we want to accomplish and our relationship with the circumstances we perceive we are in.  Innovative systems, tools and thinking are essential for organizational health and future viability.

Leadership on the other hand is about directing and mobilizing people and resources. Leaders need to be innovative for themselves, as they learn to operate in challenging, unpredictable circumstances. They also need to create a climate for innovation in their institutions. Innovative leaders identify the need for change, lead the change process and have to manage change for it to be successful.

Leaders can close the innovation gap by working simultaneously on four essential organizational enablers. Otherwise, innovation will be stifled. These enablers include; leading innovation, culture of innovation, organizational practices for innovation and the innovation plan.

To close the innovation gap, leaders must clarify what they want to achieve with innovation, and understand the specific issues that can prevent individuals and teams from innovating in their organization. An innovative leader will reveal organizational vision, give direction and develop strategies that will help the organization become more innovative.

Executive leaders also must demonstrate their strong commitment in their actions, not only in their talk. They need to make innovation a core priority for the organization and for key departments; assign credible senior people to lead the implementation; and fully resource their innovation initiatives for the long term. It is these kinds of actions that will send the clearest message that innovation is here to stay and not the latest passing trend.

Leaders throughout the organization do not have to be the most innovative individuals but they must learn innovative thinking and learn how to lead and manage innovative teams. About 70 percent of organizations identify innovation as their means to gain competitive advantage yet only 20 percent of organizations conduct any innovation training as revealed by a survey  by Claude Legrand and David Weiss in their book; The Art and Practice of Leading sustainable Innovation in Your Organization . If leaders are committed to innovation, they must give their managers and employees at every level the skills to develop and manage innovative thinking skills.

Innovative and successful organizations utilize the skills and ideas from all its members and effective leadership for innovation encourages team spirit. Organizations must invest in their leaders and employees to ensure that they develop individual and teams innovative-thinking skills.

Organizations also need to design their culture and organizational practices to make innovation possible. As well, organizations require a well-developed, organization-wide innovation plan to ensure a focused approach to organizational innovation.

When innovation occurs in organizations, it becomes embedded. It also becomes an invisible competitive advantage, consistently creating new value for the organization. It is reflected in how individuals and teams think innovatively as they redefine complex issues, generate new ideas, discover solutions, and mitigate risks. The end result will be that organizations will close their innovation gaps, achieve sustainable customer value and employee engagement, and remain relevant in the future.

Leading an organization towards creativity and innovation involves setting realistic goals, having a shared sense of purpose, progress reviews and monitoring as well as learning from past experiences.

Lastly, it is important to note that innovation springs from a culture that encourages everyone to come forth with new ideas, however small, and then provides the time and resources to develop it. It comes from openness to trends and ideas within and outside the organization.