An Appraisal of Kenya’s agricultural policy and legislative framework affecting oil seed crop production

Abstract

Kenya remains heavily dependent on imported edible oils despite having considerable potential for domestic oilseed production. This situation reflects underlying policy, institutional, and implementation constraints that limit the sector’s development. The general objective of the study was to appraise Kenya’s agricultural policy and legislative framework affecting oilseed crop production, guided by two specific objectives: (i) to appraise Kenya’s agricultural policy and legislative framework for oilseed production and identify gaps and emerging issues; and (ii) to assess the challenges facing the oilseed crop subsector. Grounded in Institutional Theory and Policy Implementation Theory, the study adopted an exploratory qualitative design. Data was collected from 17 purposively selected key informants representing Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Development, County Government, Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which enabled the identification of recurring patterns and themes across stakeholder perspectives. Reliability in this study was enhanced by employing a standardized interview guide that was consistently applied across all respondents. This ensured uniformity in the questions asked, minimized interviewer bias, and facilitated comparability of responses. Ethical considerations were strictly observed, including informed consent from participants, confidentiality of responses, and adherence to Strathmore University’s research ethics guidelines and NACOSTI licensing requirements. The study establishes that while Kenya has a formal legislative foundation including the Crops Act, 2013 and related policies oilseed crops are not adequately prioritized within major national strategies. Weak national-county coordination limited budgetary support, institutional fragmentation, and an underdeveloped seed system hinder effective policy implementation. Other constraints include inadequate research and extension services, unstructured markets, and competition from low-priced imports, all of which reduce farmer incentives and suppress productivity. To address these policy, institutional, and market gaps, the study recommends the formulation of a National Oilseed Development Strategy (2026-2036) to systematically integrate oilseeds into Kenya’s agricultural planning, budgeting, and implementation frameworks, with at least 15% of the agricultural development budget earmarked for oilseed focused breeding, seed multiplication, and varietal improvement in line with national and continental agricultural development commitments. The seed certification and variety release framework should be reformed to reduce approval timelines for oilseed varieties while maintaining regulatory quality standards, and extension service delivery should be strengthened through full implementation of the Kenya Agricultural Sector Extension Policy (2023) with targeted support to oilseed-producing regions. The study further proposes the establishment of a National Oilseed Development Fund with an indicative annual allocation of KSh 5 billion, benchmarked against Kenya’s edible oil import bill, to support seed system development, farmer aggregation, processing infrastructure, and structured market development through public-private partnerships. Finally, enhanced national-county coordination, structured market systems, and targeted investment in domestic processing capacity are necessary to reduce import dependency, strengthen value addition, and improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Kenya’s oilseed subsector. These measures directly support the study’s justifications by lowering reliance on imports, improving food and nutrition security, stabilizing foreign exchange reserves, and fostering climate-resilient livelihoods, thereby providing a coherent pathway for transforming the oilseed subsector into a driver of sustainable agricultural and economic development.