Machakos, Kenya
The State Department of Agriculture hosted the final consultative meeting on the development of Kenya’s AgriConnect compact at Kyaka Hotel in Machakos, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of the country’s agricultural sector.
Spearheaded through a multi-sectoral Thematic Working Group (TWG), the meeting provided a crucial platform for both private and public sector stakeholders involved in the development of selected value chains to review and share constructive feedback on the AgriConnect compact framework.
Transforming Kenya’s Agriculture Sector
Aligned with the World Bank’s global AgriConnect initiative, Kenya’s five-year AgriConnect program (2025-2030) is expected to transform the agriculture sector by producing more food, creating more decent jobs, and enhancing stability across the sector.
The compact is organized around four strategic pillars:
Pillar 1: Production and Productivity – Targeting a 50% increase in production and productivity across priority value chains.
Pillar 2: Value Addition and Agro-Processing – Scaling value addition, agro-processing, and aggregation systems across Kenya’s priority value chains.
Pillar 3: Market Systems Transformation – Expanding access to profitable domestic and export markets by 50%.
Pillar 4: Enablers in Agricultural Development – Strengthening policy coherence, institutions, finance, digital systems, and contract enforcement to support sustainable agricultural growth.
Potato Value Chain Among Priority Sectors
Following extensive consultations and data review, the TWG ranked the potato value chain among eight selected value chains for the AgriConnect compact. The selection reflects the sector’s strategic importance to Kenya’s food security and economic development.
“With its strong public and private sector engagement, ready-to-scale technologies and dynamic farming community, the potato value chain is uniquely positioned to deliver the targeted new and upgraded jobs and achieve the results envisioned in the framework,” said Dr. Dinah Borus, a stakeholder who attended the consultative meeting.
The potato sector’s potential for job creation, value addition, and market expansion aligns perfectly with the AgriConnect compact’s transformative agenda.
As Kenya moves forward with implementing the AgriConnect compact, the active participation of both public and private sector stakeholders will be crucial in ensuring that the ambitious targets set for 2025-2030 are met, ultimately benefiting farmers, processors, traders, and consumers across the value chains.