Vice President Kithure Kindiki announced that the government has significantly reduced the cost of agricultural production, with the price of a 50-kilogram bag of subsidized fertilizer dropping to Sh2,000 from Sh7,000. He stated that over 34 million bags of subsidized fertilizer had been distributed to farmers, saving them an estimated Ksh100 billion in production costs. Kindiki emphasized the expansion of support beyond fertilizer to include certified seeds, animal feeds, machinery, veterinary services, agricultural finance, and climate-risk management. These measures were highlighted during the Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit at Jamhuri Park, themed "Advancing Food Sovereignty, Job Creation, and Shared Prosperity" under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Kindiki revealed that the price of certified maize seed had been halved, with a kilogramme retailing at Sh150 from Sh300, and a two-kilogramme packet dropping from Sh600 to Sh300. He noted the government’s use of technology to enhance agricultural services, citing the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS) as a key tool. The platform, which now registers 8.9 million farmers—up from 300,000—enables targeted delivery of subsidized inputs via e-vouchers. However, Kindiki stressed that agricultural success should be measured by productivity and household incomes, not just registration numbers or input distribution. "The ultimate measure is not the number of farmers registered, but how much is harvested from an acre, how much a cow produces, and the income that remains in the household," he said.
The government has also boosted dairy sector returns, increasing the guaranteed minimum milk price from Sh37 to Sh50 per litre, while national milk production rose from 4.6 billion to 5.2 billion litres. Kindiki outlined plans to shift from exporting raw commodities to processing and branding agricultural products locally, citing the Kenya Integrated Programme for Export and Supply. This initiative aims to bring aggregation, grading, and processing facilities closer to producers, with 17 facilities currently being equipped. The BETA agenda targets two million farmers, with increased production reducing maize imports and improving gains in rice, sugar, and other value chains. Kindiki emphasized treating agriculture as part of Kenya’s industrialization agenda, advocating for local processing of raw materials like milk, coffee, and livestock into finished products.
Kindiki called for collaborative efforts across sectors to transform agriculture into a competitive, commercially viable industry. He urged participation from farmers, county governments, researchers, and private entities. The three-day summit, which concludes on Friday, will feature President William Ruto tomorrow. The event also addressed broader challenges, including school retention strategies and regional efforts to combat infectious diseases, as highlighted in parallel reports. The government’s agricultural reforms aim to balance cost reduction with long-term sustainability, ensuring farmers benefit from both immediate support and systemic improvements.