The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to agricultural transformation as a key pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), with a strong emphasis on food security, farmer empowerment, and digital innovation in agriculture.
Speaking at the 28th Graduation Ceremony of Bukura Agricultural College, Principal Secretary for Agriculture Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh outlined significant progress the sector has made through strategic policy reforms and targeted interventions.
“Agriculture remains central to Kenya’s development. We are supporting training, increasing productivity, digitizing farmer services, and strengthening value chains to secure our national food agenda,” said Dr. Kipronoh.
Sectoral Gains and Strategic Reforms
The PS noted that in 2024, agriculture contributed 22.5% to Kenya’s GDP, up from 21.5% in 2023, while earnings from marketed production rose by 7.2% to Ksh 690 billion. Dr. Kipronoh attributed this growth to initiatives led by the Ministry, including expanded access to subsidized inputs, climate-smart farming technologies, and targeted support for farmers.
Key among the reforms is the Digital Fertilizer Subsidy Program, which has reduced fertilizer costs by 67%—from Ksh 7,500 in 2022 to Ksh 2,500 in 2025—benefiting smallholder farmers and enhancing national food production.
The programme is supported by the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), which has registered over 6.8 million farmers to date, enabling equitable resource allocation and real-time monitoring.
“Registering farmers nationwide through KIAMIS provides a comprehensive database that facilitates targeted interventions and equitable resource allocation, enhances transparency and accountability in the distribution of government subsidies, and enables real-time monitoring of agricultural activities and trends,” he said.
Food Security and Post-Harvest Management
Favourable weather and increased access to certified inputs have resulted in maize production jumping to 44.7 million bags in 2024—an increase of 30.4% from 2022—significantly reducing maize imports by 67% and saving the country foreign exchange. Similar gains have been noted in beans and rice production.
“Food availability and nutrition remain top priorities in the Government’s development agenda. Article 43(c) of the Constitution affirms the right of every person to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality. Despite price fluctuations, the national food security status has remained stable, with most households able to access food either from their own production or local markets,” he said.
To prevent post-harvest losses, the PS confirmed that the government has distributed 100 high-volume grain driers to NCPB depots and farmer cooperatives, with 21 allocated to counties in Western Kenya. Smallholder farmers are encouraged to fully utilise these facilities to preserve harvest quality and reduce waste.
Strengthening Priority Value Chains
Significant growth has been recorded in key value chains:
Tea: Production increased from 535 million kg in 2022 to 598 million kg in 2024, with export earnings reaching Ksh 181.69 billion. This growth was facilitated by fertilizer subsidies, climate-resilient seedlings, MSME training in value addition, and tax incentives.
Sugarcane: Output rose by 45%, driven by the enactment of the Sugar Act 2024, the payment of farmer arrears, price reviews, and the introduction of 27 high-sucrose varieties.
Youth Engagement and Pest Management
Dr. Kipronoh stated that the Ministry is actively promoting youth participation in agriculture through the rebranded 4-K Club Program, which is now integrated with county-level training to nurture a new generation of agripreneurs.
Additionally, pest management efforts—including rapid responses to migratory pests and the promotion of anti-aflatoxin technologies such as Aflasafe, hermetic storage, and mobile driers—have protected staple crops, thereby enhancing food availability and quality.
Dr. Kipronoh reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive agricultural sector.
“We will continue to create an enabling environment for agriculture to thrive and collaborate closely with stakeholders to address sectoral challenges,” he said.
