The ministry of agriculture is developing a legal framework to regulate development, certification and access to better seeds as one of its five policy focus points that will define its operations in the next two years.

Agriculture Minister William Ruto said farmers have a right to affordable seeds and the new law will ensure that happens. Seed breeders in Kenya say while the country has an estimated 60 varieties of hybrid maize for instance, farmers are unable to access them because of poor marketing, higher cost and distribution challenges.

Access to better seeds in addition to other inputs will become important at a time when the government has announced that it will double national grain reserves from the current 4 million bags of maize equivalent to one and a half months cover to 8 million bags or 3 months cover.

Ministry of agriculture data show that 75 per cent of national food needs are met by the small scale farmers, yet only 30 per cent of them have access to better seeds and fertilizers.

Mr Ruto outlined the key points that will guide his leadership in the ministry saying research money allocated to the ministry will be doubled in the next two years.

According to the budget estimates for the year 2007/08, the amount of money allocated to the research, including supply of agriculture extension services was Sh630 million.

"We want to reengineer our agricultural extension services including enhancing how the ministry disburses information to farmers," said Mr Ruto. The minister said emphasis will be given to developing seeds that are early yielding and early maturing.

The third focus for the ministry will be engaging more with the private sector to so that it increase its participation in the fertilizer distribution from the current 8 per cent to 40 per cent of the total distributed volume.

The other focus will involve making agriculture commercially viable, by encouraging farmers to go beyond farming as a way of life to a way of earning their livelihood.

"We must make agriculture profitable and commercially competitive," said Mr Ruto. Loans will be given for agro processing and the ministry will get involved in helping farmers source for markets. The plan also involves collaborating with the local council authorities to ensure that there is agriculture marketing infrastructure in every district.

Focus will also be on increasing credit facilities to farmers. The ministry is to come up with innovative ways to finance agriculture to ensure as many small holder farmers as possible access credit.