Kenya has unveiled a major agriculture transformation plan that seeks to reshape farming into a modern, technology-driven and investment-focused sector expected to create jobs, boost food production and strengthen the country’s food security.
The strategy, known as the Kenya AgriConnect Compact (2025–2030), was launched by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and will anchor a new push where public funding is used to unlock large-scale private investment into the sector.
Under the plan, the government will commit about Sh490 billion in catalytic funding over the next five years, with the aim of attracting nearly Sh1 trillion in private sector investment. Officials say the model is designed to reduce risks for investors while expanding access to capital across agricultural value chains.
Kagwe said the compact marks a turning point in how the country views agriculture and its role in economic growth.
“The Agriconnect Compact positions agriculture not as a subsistence sector, but as a modern, technology-enabled, climate-smart, and investment-ready engine for inclusive economic transformation,” he said.
A key pillar of the programme is the rollout of digital systems across farming activities. These include digital extension services, agritech platforms for market tracking and traceability, and improved processing technologies aimed at reducing post-harvest losses that continue to affect farmer earnings.
The government also plans to rely on public-private partnerships, blended finance and credit guarantees to channel investments into key areas such as dairy, edible oils and horticulture. Authorities say this approach will make agricultural financing more attractive while strengthening local value chains.
Kagwe added that the financing structure has been carefully designed to draw in private capital by lowering investment barriers.
“The Agriconnect Compact is a deliberate, strategic, and urgent framework to align public investment with private sector ambition, where public investment finances foundational systems and public goods, reducing risks and creating an enabling environment that attracts large-scale private capital,” he said.
Beyond production, the plan also targets major changes in how agricultural markets operate. It proposes better infrastructure, digital marketplaces and structured trading systems meant to reduce inefficiencies and improve transparency along supply chains.
The programme sets ambitious national targets, including cutting imports of key staples such as rice and maize by 50 per cent and increasing high-value agricultural exports by 60 per cent.
Job creation forms a central part of the strategy. The government expects the initiative to generate and upgrade about 2.48 million jobs by 2030, with a focus on young people working in agro-processing, logistics, digital systems and agribusiness services.
“The jobs to be created will be real jobs with dignity. The food security we achieve will mean that no Kenyan goes to bed hungry,” Kagwe said.
The initiative has received support from the National Treasury, the Council of Governors, and development partners including the World Bank, African Development Bank, IFAD, AGRA and the Gates Foundation.
Kagwe said the country now has the structure and backing needed to move into action.
“We have the strategy. We have the investment framework. We have the political will. What we need now is private sector action,” he said.