Green Technology In Agricultural Value Chains In Kenya: Empirical Literature And Implications On Policy And Practice

Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy with a direct contribution of 24 per cent of national GDP and another indirect contribution of 27 per cent. The sector is not only the driver of the economy, but also the means of livelihood for the majority of Kenyans. However, agriculture and food systems are a key contributor to green house gas (GHG) emissions and climate change; at the same time, rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns adversely impact the sector. Among sectoral stakeholders, smallholder farmers are specifically vulnerable to climate change; reduced yield from crops, livestock, and aquaculture directly impacts their livelihoods. Consequently, the need for green technology in agricultural value chains is paramount towards mitigating the effects of climate change. Using an in-depth desktop review and guided by appropriate thematic streams, this paper undertakes empirical literature review on application of green technology in agricultural value chains in Kenya. The incisive review is intended to evaluate extant evidence for purposes of interrogating its implications to policy and practice in the agricultural sector in the wake of the global push for collective efforts towards climate action. The findings of the review reveal application of variants of green technologies along various nodes of different agricultural value chains albeit at different levels both on intensity and scope given their programmatic deployment. It is concluded that green technology application in agricultural value chains has a high potential of being a game changer towards green agriculture, sustainable food security, climate change mitigation, adaptability, and resilience.