The Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with AUDA-NEPAD, the African Union Commission, GIZ, IFAD, JICA, GAIN, among other stakeholders have facilitated the review and validation of the draft National Agri-food Systems Investment Plan (NASIP 2026-2030)
Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture, Dr. Paul Kiprono Rono, while officially opening the validation workshop in Machakos, said the exercise marks the culmination of a long, inclusive and consultative process that brought together stakeholders from across the country and across the agricultural ecosystem.
“NASIP represents our collective commitment to building an agri-food system that delivers prosperity for farmers, opportunities for youth, resilience for communities, and food security for our nation,” said the PS.
The document is a roadmap for transforming Kenya’s agrifood systems to productive, competitive, inclusive, climate resilient, nutrition sensitive and sustainable
The document seeks to mobilize investments from both public and private sectors while ensuring that the investments generate meaningful impact for farmers, agribusinesses, consumers, and the economy as a whole, noted the PS underscoring that NASIP aligns Kenya’s priorities with the commitments under the CAADP Kampala Declaration and Agenda 2063 of the African Union.
No single institution can transform agriculture on its own, instead, the success of NASIP depends on strong partnerships among National Government, County Governments, Farmers and farmer organizations, private sector actors, development partners, research institutions and civil society organizations.
Dr. Rono encouraged proposals for solutions that will strengthen the final document calling on all stakeholders to finalize the transformative investments and shape the future of Kenya’s agrifood systems for years to come.
The Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS 2019-2029) envisioned implementation through two investments plans. The first phase, guided by the National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP 2019-2024), provided valuable lessons and demonstrated important successes in increasing productivity, enhancing market access, strengthening value chains, promoting food and nutrition security and improving coordination among others.
The review highlighted emerging challenges and opportunities that require new approaches and renewed investments, where NASIP has been designed to respond to these realities.
Over the last several months, the Ministry reviewed the implementation of the NAIP 2019-2024, conducted consultations across all the 47 Counties, engaged Sector Working Groups on Agriculture (SWAGs), consulted private sector actors, development partners, farmer organizations, youth, women, and non-state actors, and incorporated technical inputs and recommendations from various stakeholders.
The validation workshop represented a collective national effort and shared vision for the future of Kenya’s agrifood systems including Ministry of Agriculture Officials, AUDA-NEPAD, African Union Commission (AUC), East African Community, Development Partners IFAD, JICA, GIZ, GAIN among others; County Government Representatives; Private Sector, Farmer organizations, and Civil Society Organisations.
by Joseph Kamolo
