Ex-parastatals staff moved to Agriculture Authority

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei speaks at a past briefing. Mr Koskei has urged horticultural farmers to strictly adhere to instructions from extension officers on the use of pesticides. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The parastatals, whose staff will be absorbed into the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (Affa) include the Kenya Sugar Board, Coffee Board of Kenya, Pyrethrum Board of Kenya, Kenya Coconut Development Authority and Horticultural Crops Development Authority

All employees of eight dissolved parastatals in the Ministry of Agriculture will be absorbed into a newly created authority.

Giving the assurance while unveiling the interim management committee members charged with overseeing the transition, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei on Thursday said the members are expected to complete the process within one year.

The parastatals, whose staff will be absorbed into the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (Affa) include the Kenya Sugar Board, Coffee Board of Kenya, Pyrethrum Board of Kenya, Kenya Coconut Development Authority and Horticultural Crops Development Authority.

Others are Tea Board of Kenya, Kenya Sisal Board and Cotton Development Authority.

The merger comes after three Acts — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority Act 2013 (Affa); the Crops Act 2013 and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act 2013 (Kalra) — were enacted as part of the Agriculture sector reforms.

The 11-member committee comprise professionals drawn from various backgrounds who will be led by lawyer Hannah Muriithi, previously the Board chairperson of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

Briefing the Press at the Agriculture ministry’s Kilimo House, in Nairobi, Mr Koskei said the dissolved parastatals would become directorates within Affa.