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Rural poverty approaches, policies & strategies in Kenya

Kenya's poverty reduction strategy

A reform process set in motion in the 1980s led to significant changes in the Kenyan economy, but the pace of reform slowed in the second half of the 1990s. Policies have been slow to reflect the momentum generated by a liberalized economy.

The election of the current government in December 2002 signalled a major political change in Kenya. Carrying forward a strong anti-corruption and pro-growth agenda, the government pursues the objectives of economic growth and poverty reduction. The blueprint for these efforts is the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation, which builds upon Kenya's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (2001-2004). The strategy aims to:

• improve governance and reduce corruption
• provide better health services and education
• promote structural reform for a liberalized economy
• achieve equitable distribution and conservation of natural resources
• promote the private sector

Recognizing that expansion of the agricultural sector is a crucial means of reducing poverty, in June 2003 Kenya launched its Strategy for the Revitalization of Agriculture, which focuses on liberalization and policy reform to give new momentum to the sector.

Source: IFAD

Government of the Republic of Kenya, 2007: