The Government is intensifying efforts to modernise Kenya’s agricultural sector through increased mechanisation and digital technology adoption, with Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe calling for greater investment in modern farming equipment, innovation and affordable financing to boost productivity and strengthen food security.
Speaking during the opening of the 12th Agritec Africa Exhibition at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday, Kagwe said mechanisation remains one of the most effective ways of transforming agriculture into a profitable and attractive sector, particularly for young people.
He noted that Kenya’s farming population is ageing rapidly, making it necessary to embrace technology and modern production methods to attract a new generation of farmers.
“The average Kenyan farmer is 64 years old. We want to move from 64 to 34. That is the idea behind mechanisation and digitisation,” said Kagwe.
The Cabinet Secretary observed that Kenya can no longer depend solely on traditional farming methods if it is to meet the food demands of a growing population and remain competitive in regional and global agricultural markets.
According to Kagwe, mechanisation and digital agriculture will help farmers increase production, improve efficiency, reduce losses and generate higher incomes while opening up new employment opportunities for skilled workers.
He dismissed concerns that the adoption of agricultural machinery could lead to job losses, arguing that mechanisation would instead create better-paying and more specialised jobs in equipment operation, maintenance, repair and spare-parts supply chains.
“You remove the jembe job, but you train the same person to become a tractor operator and give them a better-paying opportunity,” he said.
The CS disclosed that the Government is engaging the National Treasury to formulate favourable policies that will support the importation of agricultural machinery while at the same time encouraging local assembly and manufacturing of tractors and other farm equipment.
He said increased local production of agricultural machinery would reduce costs, create jobs and strengthen the country’s industrial base.
“We are happy to buy equipment from China, India, Italy and elsewhere, but we will be even happier when those tractors are manufactured or assembled here in Kenya,” he said.
Kagwe invited both local and international investors to partner with the Government in establishing agricultural machinery assembly and manufacturing plants in Kenya, noting that such investments would enhance value addition and support the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.
To make mechanisation more accessible, the Cabinet Secretary encouraged farmers to embrace cooperative approaches in acquiring machinery. He said village groups, farmer cooperatives and savings organisations could jointly purchase equipment and share operational costs.
He further urged young entrepreneurs to explore business opportunities in tractor-hire services, equipment leasing and farm mechanisation support services, which he described as emerging sectors with significant growth potential.
Kagwe also challenged financial institutions to develop affordable financing products tailored to the agricultural sector, saying high interest rates remain one of the biggest obstacles to mechanisation.
“We are prepared to buy the tractors, but not at 20 or 25 per cent interest rates. Affordable financing of around 10 per cent with repayment periods of between three and five years would make mechanisation accessible to more farmers,” he said.
He called on machinery suppliers to collaborate with banks and other financiers to provide integrated financing packages that would ease the acquisition of farm equipment by smallholder farmers.
On digital agriculture, Kagwe said the Government is working closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve farmer registration and enhance the delivery of subsidised agricultural inputs through technology-driven systems.
He explained that the initiative seeks to digitally capture farmers’ identities, land ownership details, farm locations and acreage to improve accountability and ensure that government support reaches legitimate beneficiaries.
“The title, the location, the size of the land and the farmer’s identity will be linked through technology to ensure support reaches the right beneficiaries,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary noted that digital platforms would also improve planning, monitoring and resource allocation within the agricultural sector, enabling government agencies to make informed decisions based on accurate data.
Earlier, the Indian High Commissioner to Kenya reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening agricultural cooperation with Kenya through technology transfer, innovation and the sharing of best practices aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
The Agritec Africa Exhibition has attracted local and international exhibitors showcasing innovations in farm machinery, irrigation technologies, processing equipment, renewable energy solutions and digital farming systems designed to accelerate agricultural transformation across Africa.
By Nancy Omondi and Zipporah Odionyi
