ASCU's achievements

Since its inception in 2005, ASCU has made significant strides. ASCU has mainstreamed the principles of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). CAADP calls for a sector-wide approach to delivering services and provides a framework of four pillars for the agricultural sector to attain.

Policy analyses and formulation
Several polices have been developed or are at various stages of development through a sectorwide consultative process. Some are for specific commodities - livestock, national oceans and fisheries, apiculture, poultry, horticulture; others are cross-cutting such as food and nutrition security, seed policy and plant varieties, cooperative development and cooperative investment, agribusiness and marketing, and gender. Yet others have immense national importance such as the national agricultural research system policy and the national agricultural sector extension policy that will guide how agricultural research  and extension will be carried out.

Legal, regulatory and institutional reforms
ASCU is also spearheading institutional, regulatory and legal reforms in the agricultural sector to make it more vibrant and productive, and to serve farmers and producers more efficiently and effectively. The sector had close to 130 pieces of legislation governing it. ASCU is supporting the consolidation of these legislations to improve governance and accountability.

The National Agricultural Research System policy and implementation framework that will change the way agricultural research is carried out in Kenya.

Innovation Fund for Agriculture and Agribusiness
ASCU designed and piloted the Innovation Fund for Agriculture and Agribusiness. Its objective is to commercialize agriculture by supporting innovative farming into agribusinesses. To date, eight enterprises have been supported. This support is helping to build strong public - private partnerships.

Demand-driven agricultural extension services
ASCU is building the capacity of extension service provides through a course entitled Demand-driven agricultural extension services. This course develops human and institutional capacities to provide agricultural advisory services to assist farmers and producers obtain and demand skills, information and services that improve their livelihoods. The course is open to public and private sector individuals and institutions.

Support to the private sector
ASCU has also strengthened and built the capacity of producer associations in advocacy, collaboration, programme planning, marketing, quality assurance and networking . The associations were empowered and have been active in developing policy and lobbying for enabling environments for their members. An unintended benefit is that more farmers are now joining producer associations.