It is clear there is need to know what is the right regulation dose. I would prefer policies putting stringent measure on ensuring quality and price of inputs and little interfrence on marketing. Most regulations are very aggressive about revenue generation by the enforcing agencies - this license, this cess, tax this - very litttle on inputs.
We can look at and invest in succesful value chains - meat (chicken, goats, beef) and Muguka are thriving because of little government involvement. You want to slaughter your bull or goat and eat or sell, no government official really cares- the sector is thriving and sustaining North Eastern, North &South Rift and is worth hundreds of billions given nearly every household is spending some 100-1000 per month on meat.
Coffee did pitiable 11 billion while tea had 87 billion, yet the noise on coffee is deafening.
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/markets/marketnews/Coffee-earnings-drop-Sh3bn-in-11-months-to-August/3815534-5270832-do0764/index.html
https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/markets/commodities/KTDA-meets-to-set-pay-for-farmers/3815530-5269504-10fjh9j/index.html
Precisely . Government regulations are the problem in kenya. Horticulture is also thriving cause of little government involvement. Another sector that's about to collapse is the dairy sector. The beef sector just needs more investment in fattening(feedlots) and packaging of beef instead of selling to butcheries. The future of coffee farming in kenya is in small estates, One of the premier artisanal coffee houses in America buys from an estate I am affiliated with
https://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/kungu-maitu-kenya . The estate top coffee fetched $12 green coffee. It cost less than $1.5 to produce 1kg, so that's a great return on investment.