What was the effect of cash crop agriculture?

What was the effect of cash crop agriculture?

The issue is critically important since cash crops contribute to livelihood diversification and improve food and nutrition security by directly increasing the farm household’s income earning potential which, in turn, increases the household’s spending potential.

How does agriculture affect Kenya?

Agriculture is key to Kenya’s economy, contributing 26 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and another 27 per cent of GDP indirectly through linkages with other sectors. The sector employs more than 40 per cent of the total population and more than 70 per cent of Kenya’s rural people.

What is Kenya’s most important cash crop?

Tea has emerged as Kenya’s most important cash crop after a decades-long competition with coffee; its primacy has largely been the result of improved production by small farmers.

How did cash crops affect Africa?

Africa has long been rich in natural resources, consistently providing other nations with opportunities to obtain its plentiful supply of cotton and cocoa—two of the world’s most important cash crops. Genetically modified cotton helps farmers combat the continent’s climate, making their business more sustainable.

Which vegetables are cash crops?

Cash crops are grown for direct sale in the market, rather than for family consumption or to feed livestock. Coffee, cocoa, tea, sugarcane, cotton, and spices are some examples of cash crops. Food crops such as rice, wheat, and corn are also grown as cash crops to meet the global food demand.

How much does Kenya depend on agriculture?

OVERVIEW. The agricultural sector is the backbone of the economy, contributing approximately 33 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The agriculture sector employs more than 40 percent of the total population and 70 percent of the rural population.

What is the main source of income in Kenya?

The Economy of Kenya is a market-based economy with a few state enterprises. Major industries include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, energy, tourism and financial services.

Which industries are strong in Kenya?

Major industries include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, energy, tourism and financial services. As of 2020, Kenya had the third largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, coming behind Nigeria and South Africa.

Is Kenya good for agriculture?

Agriculture in Kenya dominates Kenya’s economy. Farming is the most important economic sector in Kenya, although less than 8 percent of the land is used for crop and feed production, and less than 20 percent is suitable for cultivation.

Is Kenya poor or rich?

Kenya is a lower-middle income economy. Although Kenya’s economy is the largest and most developed in eastern and central Africa, 36.1% (2015/2016) of its population lives below the international poverty line. This severe poverty is mainly caused by economic inequality, government corruption and health problems.

Tea has emerged as Kenya’s most important cash crop after a decades-long competition with coffee; its primacy has largely been the result of improved production by small farmers. Kenya now produces more tea than any country in the world except India and China.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of cash crop farming?

Promoting the growth of cash crops can help boost the economy, but it does discourage growing crops meant for domestic consumption. Cash crop farming is beneficial for those who have large farms and can afford expensive equipment and fertilizers. However, it is not helpful for farmers with small plots.

How does agriculture affect the economy of Kenya?

Kenya at a glance. Agriculture is key to Kenya’s economy, contributing 26 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and another 27 per cent of GDP indirectly through linkages with other sectors. The sector employs more than 40 per cent of the total population and more than 70 per cent of Kenya’s rural people.

Which is the biggest cash crop in Kenya?

About 15% of Kenya’s total land area is fertile and receives adequate rainfall making it suitable for farming. Half of the country’s agricultural produce is not for sale but for local consumption. Tea, coffee, and horticultural crops which include flowers, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits are the biggest cash crops in the country.

What are the benefits of greenhouse farming in Kenya?

Greenhouse farming in Kenya enables farmers to use less agricultural inputs (including labor and fertilizers) and control pests and diseases.

How are organic farming methods used in Kenya?

Organic farming includes crop rotation, and mulches to control pests and soil fertility . According, to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Kenya had no percentage of certified organic cropland in 2003, yet farmers use organic methods.

Which is the most important cash crop in Kenya?

Coffee is an important cash crop to Kenya’s economy as it earns foreign exchange. The crop is mainly grown in high altitude areas like Mt. Elgon and Mt. Kenya regions. This crops have been grown in Kenya for a long time and are considered by many as a source of livelihood within the country due to lack of white collar jobs.

Why is agricultural productivity so low in Kenya?

Barriers and opportunities that factor broader concepts such as climate change, urbanisation, or population growth. 2. Reasons for the decline or stagnation of agricultural productivity in Kenya in recent years, relative to neighbouring countries. 3. Barriers and opportunities across the entire value chain, rather than just at-farm. Contents 1.

Which is the leading economic activity in Kenya?

by Josiah Mutsogu Amugongo Visited 10,777 times. Cash crop farming is one of the leading economic activities in Kenya , Kenya a country located within the tropics is preferably suitable for the growth of most crops available in the word.

Why is coffee an important crop in Kenya?

This is one of the few horticulture crops being planted in Kenya and due to its nature where it can only be grown under certain temperatures’ it is cultivated only in Lake Victoria, North Rift Valley, South Rift Valley and Mt. Kenya region. Coffee is an important cash crop to Kenya’s economy as it earns foreign exchange.