steven maseka 
- AGRA President Pays Courtesy Call on Agriculture CS Kagwe, Commits Support for Kenya’s Food Security and Youth Empowerment Agenda;
The President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Ms. Alice Ruhweza, paid a courtesy call on Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, at his Kilimo house boardroom in Nairobi.
Ms. Ruhweza, who was accompanied by Director of Policy and State Capability Boaz Blackie Keizire and Kenya Country Director John Macharia, highlighted AGRA’s nearly two-decade presence in Kenya and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting the government in driving agricultural transformation across the continent.
CS Kagwe welcomed AGRA’s continued support and emphasized the importance of aligning donor efforts with Kenya’s 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 said.
Key areas of discussion included AGRA’s investment of $900,000 towards seed policy implementation, support for e-voucher transition from manual subsidies, and funding programs addressing post-harvest losses.
The AGRA President also announced Kenya’s inclusion in a new youth-focused program aimed at creating agricultural jobs, and ongoing training of Kenyan experts in seed breeding at Master’s and PhD levels.
CS Kagwe outlined plans to revamp the agriculture sector through structural reforms, including the review of emergency food security policies, integration of ICT for e-governance and farmer support, fertilizer and seed insurance, and training through revived agricultural colleges and 4K clubs.
He also emphasized the need to reduce food imports by boosting local production of rice, wheat, palm oil, and yellow maize.
The meeting also touched on warehousing, extension services, devolution policy, and better coordination of donor-funded programs to avoid duplication.
AGRA, pledged to support Kenya’s resilience-building agenda, helping farmers “bounce back better” amid climate and market shocks. The discussions come as Kenya explores expanding subsidized inputs to large-scale farmers and turning arid northern regions productive through investments in water infrastructure.
