Agriculture helps economy bounce back to 6.3pc

Treasury officials led by Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich (second left) at the launch of the Economic Survey 2019 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on April 25, 2019. PHOTO | KENNEDY KIMANTHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • This is a marked improvement from the 4.9 percent economic growth recorded in 2017.
  • The survey released on Thursday shows Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector had the highest growth with 6.4 percent.

  • The transport sector expanded by 8.8 percent while food and accommodation sector improved by 16.6 percent.

Kenya’s economy posted a significant growth of 6.3 percent in 2018 on a backbone of high growth in agriculture, transport and manufacturing sectors, the Economic Survey 2019 shows.

This is a marked improvement from the 4.9 percent economic growth recorded in 2017 when Kenya held a hotly-contested General Election.

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Director-General Zachary Mwangi said the vibrant service sectors also contributed to the growth of the economy.

The survey released on Thursday shows Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector had the highest growth with 6.4 percent.

The transport sector expanded by 8.8 percent while food and accommodation sector improved by 16.6 percent.

An increase in Gross Domestic Product means there is an increase the number of people producing and consuming goods.

This leads to an overall economic benefit to the country because it essentially means that the economic market, as a whole, has grown as a result of the increasing transactions.

The growth in the Agriculture sector, which is the best in the last five years according to Mr Mwangi, was driven by increased crop and livestock production.

The country's good agricultural production had a multiplier effects on other sectors.