AGRA President Meets Kenyan Agriculture Minister to Bolster Food Security and Youth Employment

Alice Ruhweza, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), met with Kenya’s Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, in Nairobi on Friday to discuss strategies for advancing Kenya’s agricultural transformation and food security goals. The courtesy call, held at Kilimo House, underscored AGRA’s nearly 20-year commitment to Kenya and its renewed pledge to align with the country’s agricultural priorities.

Image: Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Sen. Mutahi Kagwe in a meeting with AGRA officials at Kilimo house Nairobi 25th, July 2025.

Ruhweza, joined by AGRA’s Director of Policy and State Capability Boaz Blackie Keizire and Kenya Country Director John Macharia, outlined the organization’s ongoing and future support. AGRA has invested $900,000 in seed policy implementation, supported the shift from manual subsidies to an e-voucher system, and funded initiatives to reduce post-harvest losses. Additionally, Ruhweza announced Kenya’s inclusion in a new AGRA program focused on creating agricultural jobs for youth and ongoing training for Kenyan seed breeding experts at Master’s and PhD levels.

Sen. Kagwe welcomed AGRA’s contributions but stressed the need for donor programs to align with Kenya’s self-defined priorities. “We are now clear on what we want and how partners can support us,” Kagwe said, signaling a shift away from externally driven agendas. He detailed Kenya’s plans to overhaul the agriculture sector, including structural reforms, a review of emergency food security policies, and the integration of ICT for e-governance and farmer support. Kagwe also highlighted efforts to revive agricultural colleges and 4K clubs, alongside introducing fertilizer and seed insurance to boost resilience.

The discussions covered Kenya’s ambition to cut food imports by increasing local production of rice, wheat, palm oil, and yellow maize. Kagwe outlined plans to expand subsidized inputs to large-scale farmers and transform arid northern regions through water infrastructure investments. Other topics included improving warehousing, extension services, devolution policies, and better coordination of donor programs to avoid duplication.

AGRA pledged to support Kenya’s resilience-building efforts, helping farmers recover from climate and market shocks. The meeting reflects Kenya’s push to strengthen its agricultural sector amid global challenges, with a focus on empowering youth and enhancing local production to meet national food security goals.

The talks signal a deepening partnership between AGRA and Kenya, with both sides emphasizing practical, results-driven collaboration to address the country’s agricultural challenges.