Key Highlights

• Agriculture forms a significant portion of the economies of African countries
• It provides basic ingredients to mankind and raw materials for industries
• In rural areas of Migori County where the per capita income is low, the emphasis on sustainability is laid on agriculture to raise the per capita income of the rural community. 
• Agriculture is the basic source of food supply for the world.

Agriculture forms a significant portion of the economies of African countries. As a sector, it contributes towards major country’s priorities, such as eradicating poverty and hunger, boosting trade and investments, rapid industrialization, and economic diversification, sustainable resources, and environmental management, creating job opportunities, human security, and shared prosperity. Agriculture being the backbone of most African countries economies Kenya included, it provides basic ingredients to mankind and raw materials for industries. Agriculture remains the key economic pillar in rural areas where there are vast lands to be practiced.

Contributes to National Income

In rural areas of Migori County where the per capita income is low, the emphasis on sustainability is laid on agriculture to raise the per capita income of the rural community. Agriculture is a driver of industrialization as this was seen during the agrarian revolution in England in which the development of agriculture preceded industrial revolution.

Source of food supply

Agriculture is the basic source of food supply for the world. Due to high population pressure and the rapid increase in demand for food in most countries especially in urban areas, the government tend to use rural areas where population pressure is still low to carry out agricultural activities in order to produce more food for the growing population.

Agriculture contributes to rural development through the creation of employment opportunities for the local communities improving their living standards. Where the community has identified a legitimate priority to prevent depopulation, farming is likely to be one of the limited range of economic activities possible to maintain the economic viability of that given region. Agriculture may also contribute to rural development by providing environmental and cultural services to society.