Kiambu County has been ranked among Kenya’s best-performing counties under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), earning multiple national awards for excellence in implementation and impact.
The county was recognised for strong performance in farmer financing, irrigation development, and overall project delivery during a national assessment of counties implementing the project.
The awards were received on behalf of the County Government of Kiambu by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Wilfred Mwenda, alongside Mrs. Joan Nabea, the County NAVCDP Coordinator.
Kiambu was ranked third nationally in SACCO savings rates and access to credit, third in Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID), particularly in irrigation area expansion and farmer services and was listed among the top-performing counties overall during NAVCDP implementation.
NAVCDP is one of Kenya’s largest agricultural transformation initiatives and is currently implemented in 33 counties. Nationally, the project has profiled more than 7 million farmers, with over 3.3 million farmers accessing certified inputs and services through a digital e-voucher system.
The programme has also supported the establishment of over 1,040 ward-based SACCOs, aimed at improving farmer savings and access to affordable credit. In addition, more than 1.2 million farmers have been linked to Farmer Producer Organisations, while 7,294 agripreneurs have been trained to provide extension services, market linkages, and technical support.
Within this national framework, Kiambu has distinguished itself through effective coordination and farmer-centred implementation. At the county level, NAVCDP has supported hundreds of agripreneurs drawn from all wards to deliver extension services, promote modern farming practices, and link farmers to finance and markets.
The county has also embraced digital agriculture systems, with over 101,000 cattle registered under NAVCDP-linked platforms to support livestock health management and subsidised vaccination programmes.
Farmer-led irrigation initiatives have expanded irrigated acreage, reducing reliance on rain-fed agriculture and improving productivity and income stability for smallholder farmers.
The County Department of Agriculture, under CECM Wilfred Mwenda, says the results reflect deliberate efforts to align national project resources with local agricultural priorities, adding that the county leadership is committed to sustaining and scaling gains made under NAVCDP.
As Kenya continues to roll out agricultural reforms, Kiambu County’s performance under NAVCDP stands as a strong example of how effective implementation can translate national policy into real benefits for farmers.
By Grace Naishoo
