Kindiki: Income in all agricultural sectors has gone up

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaking at his official Karen residence on May 14, 2025/DPCS

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced that farmers across Kenya are recording increased incomes across all agricultural sectors.

The DP attributed the growth to recent government interventions aimed at boosting productivity and improving livelihoods.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi, Kindiki credited improved earnings to deliberate government strategies aimed at transforming key value chains in agriculture.

These efforts, he said, are central to the administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which targets increased productivity and sustained economic growth.

“Agriculture remains the backbone of our economy, contributing significantly to the income of millions of Kenyans,” said the Deputy President. “Our focus remains on sustaining high production and better incomes from maize and sugarcane, while also improving the quality and market prices of rice, tea, and coffee.”

He emphasised that agriculture is not only a source of livelihood but also a critical pillar in the country’s journey toward industrialisation and food security.

“All the value chains in agriculture hold the key to the future of our country,” Kindiki stated. “They impact household incomes, support manufacturing, and are instrumental in building a resilient economy.”

The Deputy President was receiving progress reports on the streamlining of agricultural value chains, with a particular focus on reforms in the sugar, rice, maize, tea, and coffee sectors. 

Notably, he highlighted advancements in the sugar industry, pointing to the revival of the once-struggling Mumias Sugar Factory as a successful case study.

He revealed that the government is now replicating the same model through public-private partnerships to lease and revamp other factories including Muhoroni, Chemelil, Sony, and Nzoia.

“These interventions are designed to modernize processing, increase sugarcane production, ensure timely payments to farmers and workers, and introduce new incentives such as bonuses—an initiative that has already borne fruit in Mumias,” Kindiki said.

He also underscored the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production, noting its dual role in food security and economic empowerment. “It is possible to produce enough rice for the country and create more value for farmers. We must not relent,” he added.