The President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Alice Ruhweza, on Thursday reaffirmed the organization’s long-standing commitment to Kenya’s agricultural transformation during a high-level meeting with Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe at Kilimo House in Nairobi.
Accompanied by AGRA’s Director of Policy and State Capability Boaz Blackie Keizire and Kenya Country Director John Macharia, Ruhweza highlighted AGRA’s nearly two-decade presence in Kenya and pledged continued support for government-led initiatives aimed at enhancing food security and resilience.
CS Kagwe welcomed the AGRA delegation and stressed the importance of aligning donor initiatives with Kenya’s national priorities. “For too long, donors have been telling us what to do. We are now clear on what we want and how partners can support us,” he stated, underscoring the government’s shift toward greater self-determination in shaping agricultural policy.
The discussions focused on AGRA’s $900,000 investment to support seed policy implementation and the ongoing digitization of the e-voucher subsidy program. This transition from manual processes is expected to enhance transparency and efficiency in delivering inputs to farmers. AGRA also announced new funding to curb post-harvest losses and introduced a youth-centered initiative aimed at creating agricultural employment opportunities.
Additionally, the organization is supporting advanced training for local experts in seed breeding through Master’s and PhD programs.
CS Kagwe outlined a broad reform agenda, including the integration of ICT for farmer outreach and e-governance, insurance for fertilizer and seeds, revitalization of agricultural training institutions, and the reactivation of 4K clubs. He emphasized the need to reduce food imports by increasing local production of staples such as rice, wheat, palm oil, and yellow maize.
The meeting also addressed challenges in warehousing, extension services, and devolution policy, with both parties agreeing on the need for better coordination of donor-funded programs to avoid duplication.
AGRA reiterated its support for Kenya’s resilience agenda, particularly efforts to help farmers adapt to climate and market shocks. The talks come as the government considers expanding subsidized inputs to large-scale farmers and investing in water infrastructure to boost productivity in arid regions
