Kenya is set to increase her budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector to 13 per cent of the national budget.

This will surpass the requirement of the Maputo Declaration of 10 per cent.

Agriculture Minister William Ruto said by 2020 funding to the agriculture sector will be 13 per cent rising from the current 8 per cent.

The Minister noted that boosting funding to agriculture sector which contributes over 25 per cent of gross domestic product - GDP is the only way to ensure food security in the country.

Ruto called for an increase in agricultural land acreage in order to take advantage of economies of scale in agricultural production by using mechanized agriculture.

"The current scenario in which farmers own half-an-acre, two acres worse still less than one acre, is counter productive if we have to diversify the way we view agriculture," said Ruto.

He said the inherited pieces that have led to land fragmentation discouraging agricultural diversification.

Speaking after opening the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program - CAADP conference in Nairobi, Ruto said the government is keen and ready to increase land under irrigation in order to increase food production, from 40,000 hectares currently to over 100,000 in order to boost food production.

During the opening ceremony, Ruto said Africa is the most hit by global food shortage as over 218 million people representing 30 per cent of the total population estimated to be suffering from chronic hunger and malnutrition come from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ruto at the same time called for funding from industrialized nations to enable African countries develop adaptation measures to deal with the challenges arising from climate change.

He said as African government go to Copenhagen, emphasis ought to be put on asking industrialized nations to cut carbon emissions that cause the greenhouse gasses that have resulted in climate change.