POLICY DECISION MAKING FOR THE HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY IN KENYA

This paper outlines some of the policy-making problems for the horticultural industry in Kenya. The observations apply equally to any country which intends to establish a worthwhile horticultural industry, whether the country is in a developed or a developing state. For the discussion to hold true, some assumptions are made such as: the existence of a market economy, the private ownership of land, free association, free entry and exit out of the industry for those engaged in it and, if a national economic plan exists, that the objectives of such a plan are in accord with the needs and opportunities of the industry.

The principles discussed in this paper are also applicable to many other agricultural industries, although the line drawn between these and the horticultural industry may appear to be somewhat artificial and arbitrary. One of the objectives is to highlight the special supporting policies which allow the horticultural industry to attain its requisite objectives as desired by the community. Due to the briefness of this paper, only some areas regarded as relevant to the discussion of policy-making for the horticultural industry will be selected. The main headings discussed are as follows:

1. general problems of industry policy-making,
2. definition of the horticultural industry,
3. the concept of development and growth of the horticultural industry,
4. industry and government as the source of industry policy.