Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic
Agriculture Development in Kenya
African Technology Policy Studies Network(ATPS) Technopolicy Brief No. 58
Dr. Nicholas Ozor
Mr. Alfred Nyambane

Institutional Framework for EcologicalOrganic Agriculture Development in Kenya

Dr. Nicholas Ozor
Mr. Alfred Nyambane
African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is atransdisciplinary network of researchers, policymakers, private
sector actors and the civil society promoting the generation,dissemination, use and mastery of Science, Technology andInnovations (STI) for African development, environmental
sustainability and global inclusion. In collaboration with like-minded
institutions, ATPS provides platforms for regional and international
research and knowledge sharing in order to build Africa’s capabilities
in STI policy research, policymaking and implementation forsustainable development.

Published by the African Technology Policy Studies
Network (ATPS)
P. O. Box 10081, 00100- GPO, Nairobi, Kenya
2021
ISBN: 978-9966-124-82-1

Table of Contents
About the Mainstreaming Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative................ ii
About the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) ....................... iii
Acknowledgement ........................................................................................ iv
Key Messages ................................................................................................ v
1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 1
2. Rationale for EOA in Kenya ........................................................................ 2
3. Methodology ............................................................................................. 3
4. Key Findings ............................................................................................... 4
4.1 Agricultural Policy Environment in Kenya.................................................. 4
4.2 Agricultural Sector Institutional Framework for EOA development in
Kenya .............................................................................................................. 5
5. Conclusion ................................................................................................. 8
6. Policy Recommendations ........................................................................... 9
References ................................................................................................... 11
ATPS Technopolicy Brief Series .................................................................... 12

i | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

About the Mainstreaming Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative
The Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative (EOA-I) 1 is a continental initiativethat holds promise for increasing the productivity of Africa’s smallholder farms,
with consequent positive impacts on food security. Garnering support andlegitimacy for programs and initiatives run in Africa from continental bodies suchas the African Union Commission (AUC), the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA), the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs) as well as the relevant
National governments could undoubtedly lead to ownership, high visibility,
success, and sustainability of such programs and initiative. However, the processof engaging with these high-level bodies and governments is notstraightforward. It requires strong champions who have establishedlongstanding relationships both formal and informal with these bodies andgovernments to achieve the desired objectives. The African Technology Policy
Studies Network (ATPS) 2 is one rare organization in Africa that has establishedworking relationships and goodwill with these aforementioned bodies andgovernments for over 30 years. In most cases, ATPS provides human resource
supports to these bodies in a win-win situation that has led to the developmentof trust and high integrity between ATPS and the continental bodies andgovernments. The EOA-I aims to transform and create sustainable food systems
through promoting ecologically sound strategies and practices among diverse
stakeholders in production, processing, marketing and policymaking, tosafeguard the environment, improve livelihoods, alleviate poverty andguarantee food security. The overall goal of the initiative is to mainstream EOA
into national agricultural production systems by 2025 in order to improve
agricultural productivity, food security, access to markets and sustainable
development in Africa.

12

https://biovisionafricatrust.org/eoa-initiative/
https://atpsnet.org/about-atps/

ii | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

About the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)
The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is a trans-disciplinary
network of researchers, policymakers, private sector actors and civil society
actors that promote the generation, dissemination, use and mastery of Science,
Technology and Innovations (STI) for African development, environmental
sustainability and global inclusion. ATPS has over 5000 network members and
3,000 stakeholders in over 51 countries in 5 continents with institutional
partnerships worldwide. We implement our programs through members innational chapters established in 30 countries (27 in Africa and 3 Diaspora
chapters in Australia, the United States of America and the United Kingdom). In
collaboration with like-minded institutions, ATPS provides platforms for regional
and international research and knowledge sharing in order to build Africa’s
capabilities in STI policy research, policymaking and implementation forsustainable development.

iii | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

Acknowledgement
This policy brief was produced by the African Technology Policy Studies Network(ATPS). The ATPS takes this opportunity to thank all the ATPS National Chapter
Coordinators in the study countries, the lead researchers and facilitators who
sacrificed amid the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that this study was
successfully conducted. We also thank the respondents from the study countries
for their inputs. Special thanks go to the Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) team fortheir support and cooperation throughout this first phase of our project
implementation under the EOA-I. We also thank the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC) for providing the funds used for thisresearch.

iv | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

Key Messages
 The agriculture sector in Kenya is largely dominated by conventional
agricultural practices known to affect both human, animal andenvironmental health. Organic agriculture has been touted to be the best
option for ensuring agricultural sustainability but will require political
goodwill in terms of policy and budgets, which currently are not present.
 There is a strong presence of private sector engagements in thedevelopment of the EOA subsector in Kenya. The Kenya Organic
Agriculture Network (KOAN), the Participatory Ecological Land Use
Management (PELUM) Association, Kenya and many non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) among others have played critical roles in thedevelopment of the subsector and particularly in the development of thedraft National Organic Policy, which is yet to be gazetted by the relevant
authority.
 Organic agriculture practice and conventional agriculture practice can coexist in ensuring food and nutrition security for Kenya but will require
strong policy and regulatory frameworks to guide the pathways to
impacts for each of the practices.
 There is a high demand for organic agriculture products in the country but
this demand is hardly met due to operational problems that areexacerbated by the lack of policy and legislative frameworks on organic
agriculture development.
 There is need to speed up the enactment of the National Organic Policythat will help in developing the value chain of organic products to ensure
market differentiation between organically and conventionally produced
crops. Increased public awareness, sensitization and advocacy are
required to push this policy to success.

v | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

1. Introduction
Kenya is a densely populated country with over 50 million inhabitants. Its
population is growing very fast and may reach more than 100 million people by
the year 2055 3. Over 50% of the country’s population are farmers, but only onefifth of the land is used for agriculture. Increased population pressure has led toland fragmentation which is a major threat to efficient production systems.
Farming is mostly run by women who comprise 80% of farmers (Kenyan Organic
Agriculture Network [KOAN], 2018). Kenya’s rapidly growing population faces
many health and nutrition challenges. Drought and other factors arecontributing to undernourishment and hunger. More and more citizens,particularly city dwellers, are struggling with obesity caused by highly refined
foods. This situation is further exacerbated by added sugars, salts, and fats,
which are linked to negative health impacts. The agriculture sector in the
country is facing many challenges caused largely by conventional agriculture
which has led to soil degradation and increased chemical pollution as well as
increased diseases to humans and biodiversity loss. Organic agriculture has been
touted to be the best option for enhancing agricultural sustainability and has
been advocated by African leaders (Biovision Africa Trust [BvAT], 2015).
Kenya’s organic agriculture subsector is predominantly export-oriented. Overthe years, exports have developed beyond vegetables and fruits to include otherproducts such as essential oils, dried herbs and spices, as well as products forthe cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries which are more often produced orcollected by smallholders. The Kenyan Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN) 4
was formed in 2005 as the umbrella body representing all organic agricultureorganizations in Kenya, to coordinate, facilitate and provide leadership andprofessional services to all members and other stakeholders in the organic
agriculture industry in Kenya. KOAN was mandated to help develop an organic
market that would affect other aspects in the subsector such as training,
advocacy and lobbying and standards development (Kimemia and Oyare, 2006).
The organic subsector is relatively small but fast-growing and led mainly by civilsociety organizations (CSOs) and the private sector. Organic products demandin the country is high but is largely unmet. Despite the increasing demand andpublic recognition of organic agriculture, there still remains no official policies
for organic agriculture in Kenya. However, a draft organic agriculture policy has
been developed under the Department of Food Security and Early Warning
Systems in the Ministry of Agriculture's organic desk’. The Ministry’s approach34

https://www.organicwithoutboundaries.bio/2020/02/06/organic-delivers-health-in-a-holistic-sense/
https://www.koan.co.ke/

1 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

is to develop both a policy for organic agriculture as well as to incorporate it into
other policies relating to agriculture, food security and the environment.
Organic agriculture has been incorporated in the Food Security Policy as well as
the draft National Agricultural Soil Management Policy.
According to the study on “Productivity and Growth in Organic Value Chains(ProGrOV),” conducted in Nairobi in 2016, the main challenges facing thesubsector are the lack of adequate supply of products; lack of information formarket players; lack of organic assurance through certification and labelling;
limited organic inputs; and the introduction of GMO crops in the country(Murimi et. al., 2016). The high cost of certification is also a major constraint tothe sector, the high cost of certification charged by foreign certifiers
discriminates against small scale farmers who aspire to convert into organic
agriculture. The main sources of demand for organic products are tourists andurban consumers, especially the expatriate community and Kenyans in a higher
income bracket. There is a potential to expand this market by increasingawareness of the health and environmental benefits of organic products. This
also needs to be accompanied by a legislative recognition of organic agriculture
for organic stakeholders to create more efficient market institutions and trade
networks that can contribute to wealth creation, food and nutritional security,and environmental improvements in Kenyan society.
2. Rationale for EOA in Kenya
There has been increasing concerns on food safety and nutrition issues triggeredby human, animal and plant health challenges, as well as the need to protect
and conserve the environment. This has brought a renewed focus of shiftingfrom conventional farming methods to ecologically sound organic farming
methods, which have been advocated by African leaders (BvAT, 2015). Organic
agriculture is a holistic production management system, which promotes andenhances agroecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil
biological activity. It seeks to minimise the use of external inputs, avoiding theuse of synthetic drugs, fertilizers and pesticides and aims at optimising thehealth and productivity of interdependent communities of soil health, plants,
animals and the people. The heightening global concern for food safety and theneed to protect the environment offers EOA an outstanding chance of becoming
a viable solution. The history, culture and community values of Kenyans areembedded in agriculture. It is the most important source of livelihoods formillions of them. The sustainable management of the agriculture production
process is therefore crucial if livelihoods are to be sustained. EOA builds on the
2 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

existing rich heritage of indigenous knowledge, favourable climatic conditions
and biomass among other natural resources if combined with modern science,technology and innovative practices that provide a good environment for EOA
to thrive in Kenya. The endorsement of the East African Organic ProductStandards (EAOPS) by the East African Community (EAC) places Kenya at a majoradvantage in the development of the sector since the demand for EOA products
locally and internationally will be greatly enhanced.
3. Methodology
This Policy Brief was developed from a study conducted using mixed
approaches. First, a comprehensive desk study was conducted where existing
literature on all policies, strategies and institutional frameworks relevant to EOA
in Kenya were reviewed. Secondly, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) wereconducted with the identified EOA stakeholders at the national level targeting
policymakers, researchers, non-governmental bodies, private sector, traders
and individual actors among others. Finally, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
were conducted with selected stakeholders to triangulate the data andinformation on EOA-related policies, strategies and institutional frameworks inthe country.

3 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

4. Key Findings
4.1 Agricultural Policy Environment in Kenya
There is a myriad of policies in Kenya that aim at enhancing agricultural
productivity. The principal policy that supports organic farming being the
National Agriculture Policy of 2019 that proposes the promotion of organic
farming for sustainable crops production and promotion of research in theutilization of land resources for crops, livestock and fisheries production.
The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 assures Kenyans of the right to be free fromhunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality (Article 43(c). Article 71of the constitution requires legislation on agreements relating to the
exploitation of natural resources. Under article 260, natural resources mean thephysical non-human factors and components whether renewable or nonrenewable including soils among others.
The Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy 2019-2029(ASTGS) has emphasized adequate food of acceptable quality for the Kenyan
people in its Flagship Projects. This has prompted the development of the draft
National Agricultural Soil Management Policy 2020. The draft National
Agricultural Soil Management Policy 2020 identified key areas namely
Sustainable agricultural soil management; Soil management and environment;
Technology development, dissemination and utilization; Fertilizer development
and investments; Policy, Legal and Institutional framework; Monitoring and
Evaluation of the policy implementation; and Implementation plan. These are
critical provisions and are in tandem with the principles of organic agriculturethat can enhance the development of the EOA subsector in Kenya.
Other policies and strategies aimed at sustainable agricultural production in
Kenya include: National Agricultural Sector Extension Policy 2012; Draft National
Land Reclamation Policy 2013; Sessional Paper No 1 of 2017 on National Land
Use Policy; National Environment Policy 2013; National Irrigation Policy 2017;
National Forest Management Policy 2014; the National Food And Nutrition
Security Policy 2011; Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture (SRA) 2004; Agriculture
Sector Development Strategy 2010-2020; and National Climate Change
Response Strategy 2010 among others.
The development of the National Organic Policy in Kenya is taking longer thanwas expected. The Government has ordered a fresh formulation of the National
Organic Policy, an action that has elicited sharp reactions from
4 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

agriculture experts 5. There is no clarity from the government on why it needs
the policy to be re-done afresh. In line with the Kenyan Constitution of 2010
which devolved the agriculture sector to the counties, it now behoves on the
county assemblies to promote EOA policy and strategy development at thatlevel. Counties are smaller, manageable, and semi-autonomous administrative
units. The functions assigned to County governments by Kenya Gazette
Supplement No. 116 of 9th August 2013 include implementation of programmes
in the agricultural sector to address food security in the counties; developmentof programmes to intervene on soil and water management, and conservationof the natural resource base for agriculture. Many county governments arelooking into innovations to support viable value chains in their counties. Amongthe emerging interests is the development of organic agriculture at the county
levels. In appreciation of this emerging interest and recognizing that theagriculture sector is now a function of devolved Government in Kenya, KOAN
has deliberately decided to partner with the counties to develop policies that
promote and support the adoption of organic agriculture among the farming
communities.
Most importantly, the draft National Organic Policy needs to be debatedextensively, finalized and passed quickly to allow seamless development of the
EOA subsector in the country. This requires increased pressure on thegovernment from the various stakeholders to expedite as there seems to be astrong wave of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) proponents coming up
to derail its enactment (Munene, 2019).
4.2 Agricultural Sector Institutional Framework for EOA development in
Kenya
Besides the key policies developed, the accompanying strategies and plans needto strongly mainstream the EOA principles as well as provide the required
institutional framework. This requires strong institutionalization of EOA among
the various actors/stakeholders with each of the categories of actors playing its
roles optimally. This means that critical roles such as research, training andcapacity building, sensitization and advocacy and enhancing financing forvarious EOA programmes as well as the development of technologies that will
boost EOA productivity will be well performed and coordinated. Other criticalroles such as the provision of extension services, certification and marketing of
the EOA products are also required if the subsector is to thrive.

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5 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

CSOs and private sector companies growing organic produce for export anddomestic uses mainly lead the EOA subsector. The initial efforts to promoteorganic agriculture in Kenya were made by Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs), Faith-Based Organizations, individuals and Community-Based
Organizations (CBOs) who sought to help rural farmers address the issues ofdeclining agricultural productivity (especially, the degradation of soils andnatural resources, poverty levels, food insecurity, and low incomes). Later, there
was the formation of the Kenya Organic Producers Association (KOPA) for
medium and large-scale farmers engaged in export as well as the Kenya Organic
Farmers Association (KOFA), representing smallholder farmers. Lately, there has
been increased engagement and support from the Government leading to thedevelopment of the East African Organic Product Standards (EAOPS) and theDraft Organic Agriculture Policy. Export of organic products from Kenya has been
taking place for the last two decades mainly on vegetables and fruits. Over theyears, this has developed beyond vegetables and fruits to include other products
such as essential oils, nuts, herbs and spices, as well as products for the cosmetic
and pharmaceutical industry.
Since 2005, KOAN has successfully brought the Organic Agriculture subsector to
the national map looping in key Government institutions such as the Ministry ofAgriculture Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF), Ministry of Industrialization and
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Public universities and Kenya Agriculture
Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to appreciate and recognize theimportance and role that the sub-sector contributes to the overall agriculturaldevelopment in the country. KOAN has also been working with the Private
sector including private companies (Smallholder groups, middle size producer
associations, commercial farmers, processors, traders and retailers, certifiers
and inspection agencies); CSOs (Training & Research Institutions and community
promoter NGOs); Development partners such as SDC, SIDA, FAO, DFID, GTZ etc.
KOAN has been instrumental in the development and implementation of theEast African Organic Mark (EAOM), the EAOPS and other relevant nationalorganic product-specific standards and in the development of Participatory
Guarantee Systems (PGS), a low-cost, locally-based system of quality assurancewith a strong emphasis on social control and knowledge building- as analternative system for guaranteeing organic products.
Again, the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Association
is a network of Civil Society Organizations / NGOs working with small-scale
farmers in East, Central and Southern Africa. PELUM- Kenya is the Kenyan
country chapter of the PELUM Association and has a membership of 57 member
6 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

organizations. It promotes Participatory Ecological Land Use, Management
practices, sharing of information of development experiences, innovations, andbest practices; strengthens linkages and collaboration through action learning;builds the capacity of members and partners to respond appropriately tocommunity needs as well as directly lobbying for change and formulation ofpolicies in favour of small-scale farmers. It is a major stakeholder in the EOA-I.
Research remains an important component in the development of the EOA
subsector. Currently, there are several research activities and projects
implemented in various institutions either of local or international statuses in
Kenya. The major local institutions undertaking research in the country include;
KALRO, public universities and some private firms to a limited extent, whileinternational institutions include World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), ICIPE,
CIMMYT, KEFRI and CIAT among others. Various technologies have beendeveloped in the areas of integrated soil fertility management including biofix
inoculants, conservation agriculture, agroforestry systems, soil and water
conservation systems, water harvesting and irrigation in addition to thedevelopment of appropriate tools and equipment. However, the research
activities are often disjointed with each institution or project implementing
activities independent of each other. This often has led to duplication of efforts
in certain areas. Despite the government efforts in establishing Research andDevelopment (R&D) institutions as well as training of researchers in the country,
the benefits of research have not been fully realized in support of EOA
development. Only a few research results have been converted into tangible
technologies especially in EOA development. There are weak researchextension-farmer linkages that affect the dissemination of research findings to
end-users. Effective research-extension-farmer linkages would address sociocultural factors, costs, accessibility and suitability of new technologies that
determine the rate of adoption of research findings. Research institutions haveinadequate capacity in terms of personnel, funding and equipment to undertake
crop, livestock and fisheries research in EOA.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS) is a government parastatal
whose responsibility is to assure the quality of agricultural inputs and produce
to prevent adverse impact on the economy, the environment and human healththerefore very handy in the development of the EOA subsector. The instituteconducts soil analysis for fertility evaluation and fertilizer use recommendations.
It also undertakes manure and organic compost analyses. It also tests new seeds
and varieties and ensures that they are viable and disease-free before approving
them for use.
7 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

5. Conclusion
The organic agriculture subsector in Kenya has gained increased importance inits contribution to food and nutrition security, increased profit margins,
improved environmental protection and access to new markets. Organic
agriculture provides an excellent means of replenishing depleted soil nutrients,
sustaining agroecosystems, providing healthy quality products, assuring farmers
markets for their produce while empowering women to participate in incomegenerating agricultural practices. The organic sector has developed to date
without any explicit official government policy support. The MOALF provided anorganic desk that led to the development of a draft organic policy under the
Department of Food Security and Early Warning Systems working with otherstakeholders such as KALRO, PELUM and KOAN. KOAN has successfully
networked with many stakeholders in the EOA subsector in Kenya. The
Government has continued to support research activities by establishingagricultural research institutions such as KALRO as well as inspectorate service
institutions such as KEPHIS and universities across the country to support EOAdevelopments. The private sector has also provided various production,marketing and research services while the NGOs have also been engaged inresearch, provision of extension services as well as training and organizing
smallholder farmers around EOA. These actors have over the years contributed
immensely to the development of the subsector in Kenya. However, poor
linkages especially the research-extension-farmer linkages have led to low
production and adoption of technologies in the subsector. Research activities
are often disjointed with each institution or project implementing activities
independently leading to duplication of efforts in certain areas. It becomes
important to improve agricultural productivity through EOA in order to increase
farmers’ incomes, achieve food and nutrition security as well as environmental
sustainability for the rural small-scale farmers who depend on agriculture for
their livelihoods. Expediting the finalization of the National Organic Policy as wellas mainstreaming EOA into the other vital sector policies will be very crucial
going forward. Certification processes for the production of EOA products need
to be strengthened through training and sensitization of farmers as well as
recruiting new farmers into the system in order to expand their market in the
country, region and internationally. There is, therefore, need to have all the
stakeholders both governmental and non-governmental to be well organized
and coordinated to play their roles effectively for the development of thesubsector in the country.

8 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

6. Policy Recommendations
The government in collaboration with other stakeholders should exercise theirpowers and execute its mandate to ensure successful development andimplementation of the EOA subsector. For its success and sustainability, thefollowing institutional recommendations are proffered:
Recommendation 1: Finalize the development of the National Organic Policy
to streamline the EOA subsector
The enactment of the organic agriculture policy in Kenya will transform thesubsector as the policy will open up opportunities for funding and support
through the resultant implementation strategies and plans that will emerge. It
is also expected that this policy and its implementing strategies and plans will
provide details on institutional structures that will outline the roles of thedifferent actors involved in its implementation.
Recommendation 2: Establish coordination structures and strengthen existingones to allow meaningful participation of all actors in EOA activities
Given that the EOA subsector has numerous stakeholders drawn from different
categories of actors, coordination mechanisms must be provided to ensure thatthey all play their part in the development of the subsector through a welldefined line of command. This coordination mechanism would also lead tosynchronizing activities and therefore collection of important data to support
monitoring and evaluation. Involvement of the private sector and nongovernmental actors in promoting EOA through agribusiness, the establishmentof organic fertilizer plants, agricultural commodity storage, processing andmarketing, organic input supply and distribution is crucial. This will give EOA aholistic and inclusive dimension for its development. It will also attract foreign
partners and investors thus spurring the growth of the EOA subsector.
Recommendation 3: Develop the capacity and competence of researchers andofficers to engage in EOA research and implementation
The establishment of the department of organic agriculture in higher institutionsof learning especially in the universities, Technical and Vocational Education andTraining (TVET) and colleges of agriculture is critical. This will aid in theincorporation of organic agriculture in the formal learning curriculum, hence
more research on the subject. Moreover, more research and training are
required to unveil new and relevant eco-friendly organic practices specific tovarious parts of the country. This may require the formation of new institutions
whose mandate may be specific to promote ecological organic agriculture.
Training and technical advice on organic farming practices need to be provided
9 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

through agricultural extension services and develop information networks
among farmers. Finally, conferences, seminars and workshops should be held
regularly to ensure that the officers in the EOA subsector, as well as researchers,
are continuously updated on new developments in technology and otheraspects in the subsector.
Recommendation 4: Increase budgetary allocation for EOA activities
The government needs to increase its budgetary support for EOA activities.
Specifically, more public funds should be directed towards increasing researchon EOA in the country. This will lead to unveiling new technologies andopportunities in the subsector that will increase the productivity and returns
from EOA, hence making it a profitable venture to the local farmers. This isbecause many EOA farmers currently rely on traditional knowledge which limits
their agricultural productivity and efficiency.
Recommendation 5: Increased sensitization and marketing of EOA and its
products
Regular sensitizations on the benefits of EOA especially on health, finance andthe environment are required, as well as emphasizing its contributions in
mitigation of climate change via the media such as television and radio jingles,
newspapers and posters among others. This will increase public awareness of
EOA and trigger strong and functional stakeholder linkages along the value
chains for proper flow and exchange of information. Sensitization on EOA should
target more youth and women since they are mostly involved in agriculturalactivities in the country. Improving the marketing of EOA products by theestablishment of local markets is important. Local certification processes thatwill be affordable need to be established and strengthened to fit the local
environment.

10 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

References
Biovision Africa Trust. [BvAT], (2015). The Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA)
Initiative in Africa Action Plan 2015-2020. The EOA Continental Steering
Committee.
Kenyan Organic Agriculture Network [KOAN], (2018). Kenya Organic Agriculture
Sub-Sector Strategic Plan- 2019-2023. KOAN and Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock and Fisheries. Accessed from: https://www.koan.co.ke/wpcontent/uploads/2019/07/KENYA-EOA-SECTOR-STRATEGIC-PLAN-20182023.pdf
Kimemia, C. and E. Oyare, (2006). The status of organic agriculture, production
and trade in Kenya. Report on the Initial Background Study of the
National Integrated Assessment of Organic Agriculture Sector-Kenya.
BridgeAfrica,Nairobi.
Accessedfrom:https://www.betuco.be/CA/Organic%20Agriculture,%20Production%20
and%20Trade%20kenya.pdf
Munene E.K., (2019). The Legislation and Policy Environment for EcologicalOrganic Agriculture in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda: Synthesis Report.
Biovision Africa Trust.
Murimi, L.M., Nzuma J.M., Wahome R.G. and K. Karantininis, (2016).
Productivity and Growth in Organic Value Chains (ProGrOV):
Opportunities and Constraints within Kenya.

11 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief Series• Policy and Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in
Senegal (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 57)• Advancing Ecological Organic Agriculture in Nigeria (ATPS TechnoPolicy
Brief No. 56)• Policy and Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in
Rwanda (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 55)• Bridging Climate Information Gaps to Strengthen Capacities for Climate
Informed Decision (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 54)• Embracing Open Contracting in Africa (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No.53)• The Digital Revolution, Open Science, and Innovation for Open Science
Development in sub-Saharan Africa (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 52)• Nouvelles approaches de financement de la recherché et de L’innovationen Afrique (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 51)• New Approaches for Funding Research and Innovation in Africa (ATPSTechnoPolicy Brief No. 50)• Towards Effective Public-Private Partnerships in Research and Innovation:
A perspective for African Science Granting Councils (ATPS TechnoPolicy
Brief No. 49)• Innovative Practices and Policies for Promoting Biodiversity Informatics in
Sub Saharan Africa (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 48)• Improving the Relevance of University Training to Labour Market
Demands in Africa (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No.47)• Developing Policies for Biodiversity Informatics in sub-Saharan Africa(ATPS Technopolicy Brief No. 46)• ICTs role in Agricultural Development: Prospects of Land Potential
Knowledge System [LandPKS] (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 45)• Mainstreaming Gender in the National Science, Technology andInnovation (STI) Policy of Kenya (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 44)
12 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

• Social Innovation: An untapped Resource for Inclusive Green Growth(ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 43)• Policy Axes that can uphold Agricultural Innovations for Climate Change
Adaptation & Food Security in Central Africa: Case of Cameroon,
Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief
No. 42)• Frameworks for Intellectual Property Protection of Traditional Knowledge
in Tanzania (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 41)• Assessment of Possible Intellectual Property Protection Options of
Traditional Knowledge System in Ethiopia (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No.
40)• Towards influencing National Legislation, Policies, Strategies andProgrammes for appropriate Protection and Benefit-Sharing of Traditional
Knowledge (TK) with and by Traditional Herbalists in Uganda. (ATPSTechnoPolicy Brief No 39)• Traditional Healers and their provision of Mental Health Services in
Cosmopolitan Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. (ATPS TechnoPolicy
Brief No. 38)• Policy Implications for Intellectual Property Systems for Traditional
Healers in Lesotho. (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 37)• Incidence of Indigenous and Innovative Climate Change Adaptation
Practices for Smallholder Framers’ Livelihood Security in Chikhwawa
District, Southern Malawi. (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No.36)• Machobane Farming System and its Relevance to Climate Change Policyin Lesotho. (ATPS TechnoPolicy Brief No. 35)

13 | Institutional Framework for Ecological Organic Agriculture in Kenya

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)
is a transdisciplinary network of researchers,
policymakers, private sector actors and the civil society
promoting the generation, dissemination, use andmastery of Science, Technology and Innovations (STI)
for African development, environmental sustainability
and global inclusion. In collaboration with like-minded
institutions, ATPS provides platforms for regional andinternational research and knowledge sharing in orderto build Africa’s capabilities in STI policy research,
policymaking and implementation for sustainable
development.

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Science Technology and Innovation
for African Development
ISBN: 978-9966-124-82-1