NUTS AND OIL CROPS DIRECTORATE

ABOUT NUTS AND OIL CROPS DIRECTORATE

Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate is an arm of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) mandated to develop, promote and regulate the nuts and oil crops industry in Kenya. Before the enactment of AFFA Act 2013 and Crops Act 2013, the role of developing, promoting and regulating the nuts and oil crops subsector was largely amorphous. In here Kenya Coconut Development Authority was tasked with the responsibility of developing, promoting and regulating the coconut industry while Horticulture Crop Development Authority, among other functions, focused on macadamia. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries handled the rest of the nuts and oil crops.

Though this set up to some extent exploited the potential in the nuts and oil crops subsector, the desired results were not adequately achieved. It is on this basis among other issues that the government initiated reforms in the Agricultural sector. These reforms culminated into the enactment of AFFA Act 2013 and its attendant Crops Act 2013. These Acts subsequently gave rise to agricultural regulator, AFFA and its underlying Directorates. AFFA’s inception was aimed at spearheading the development of scheduled crops in the agricultural sector. This was envisaged would negate for instance the amorphous way the nuts and oil crops subsector was being handled. The Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate assumed the mandate of the hitherto Kenya Coconut Development Authority. Other than coconut, this Directorate was added additional scheduled nuts and oil crops which are: macadamia, cashew nuts, oil palm; ground nuts; sesame; sunflower; safflower; castor bean; jojoba; linseed, and oil seed rape.

 MANDATE

1. Administer the Crops Act, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act, as it relates to Nuts and Oil Crops industry;
2. Regulate the production, post-harvest handling and marketing of Nuts and Oil Crops produce and its by-products;
3. Provide advisory and regulatory services on matters related to the industry to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority and government for planning purposes;
4. Collect, collate data and maintain a database on the industry;
5. Promote the production, processing, grading, storage, collection, transportation and warehousing of all produce and by-products destined for markets;
6. Recommend general industry agreements and vet contracts between players especially growers associations and processors of scheduled crops;
7. Arbitrate and mediate disputes arising between growers and/or other players in the industry;
8. Initiate, promote and enforce quality standards for products and by-products, during processing, labelling, grading, packaging, transport, and storage of produce and by-products;
9. Appoint agents for the implementation or performance of any of the functions of the Directorate;
10. Regulate imports and exports of the produce and by-products for the efficient management of the Nuts and Oil Crops industry;
11. Build technical capacity within the county government officers and other relevant stakeholders and provide technical materials;
12. Be responsible for determining the research priorities in Nuts and Oil Crops industry and to advise generally on research thereof;
13. Collect and administer Nuts and Oil Crops levies to enhance development and research in the sub sector;
14. Co-ordinate matters of international protocols and conventions