NAIROBI, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- An international conference on contract farming in Africa began Tuesday in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, creating a platform for global experts to discuss ways to enhance the efficiency and inclusivity of contract farming across the continent.

The two-day conference gathered over 200 participants, including United Nations officials, senior government representatives, industry experts, and farmers across Africa.

Lan Li, economist at the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said that contract farming can serve as an instrument for adopting environmentally friendly standards, as agreements can incorporate climate-smart agricultural practices to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Contract farming is one of the tools that can help formalize agriculture in Africa by commercializing farming and boosting productivity," the economist said, adding that contract farming is prevalent in the export sector, where more is at stake to ensure consistent supply and quality.

Erick Ogumo, agricultural specialist with the International Finance Corporation, highlighted contract farming as a transformative model to tackle some challenges facing Africa's agricultural sector.

According to Ogumo, this model benefits both farmers and buyers by providing farmers with reliable markets for their produce while giving buyers consistent access to high-quality goods.

However, Ogumo stressed that Africa must implement policies and legal frameworks to fully unlock contract farming's potential and protect all involved parties.

Adding to this perspective, Collins Micheni Marangu, agriculture secretary at Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, shared insights into Kenya's progress in promoting contract farming.

He noted that the Kenyan government has actively developed policies and frameworks to strengthen these contract farming systems, pointing to Kenya's Agricultural Policy 2021, which emphasizes a regulatory framework to improve market access for crops, livestock, and fisheries products, ultimately benefiting the broader agricultural sector. Enditem

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