Unlocking Kenya’s agricultural potential took center stage today as Kilimo Trust convened media and sector leaders at the Kilimo Trust Media Round Table in Nairobi. The event spotlighted key reforms needed to boost productivity, enhance food security, and drive youth employment through agribusiness.
Kilimo Trust CEO Dr. Birungi Korutaro opened the session by directly challenging government and private sector leaders to take bold action.
“To unlock Kenya’s agricultural potential, I challenge the government to invest in irrigation, structure markets, link agriculture to youth employment, and reconsider import-dependent policies that negatively impact the sector,” said Dr. Korutaro.
She stressed that agribusiness can be a transformative force when supported by value chain collaboration.
“Kilimo Trust has worked with 2.5 million smallholder farmers, enabling them to trade regionally and locally,” she said. “In Kenya, we’ve strengthened value chains in fish, rice, greengrams, and coffee.”
Antony Mugambi of Kilimo Trust echoed the message, focusing on innovation and data-driven solutions.
“When you take the value chain actors through the innovation process, they appreciate it more,” said Mugambi.
He detailed recent research into the rice value chain:
“We have conducted a regional in-depth analysis and understand consumer preferences. Let’s utilize agroecology to ensure food production and market alignment for example, maize in Kitale and greengrams in Ukambani.”
Mugambi also introduced plans for a Centre of Excellence for Regenerative Agriculture, complete with soil and plant labs and a hub for agri-entrepreneurs.
“We’ve seen that intermittent watering in rice leads to higher yields and better nutrition,” he added.
The roundtable made it clear: to unlock Kenya’s agricultural potential, the country must embrace innovation, invest strategically, and empower its farmers especially youth to lead the next phase of agricultural growth.
