The 5th
Annual National Agribusiness Summit has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to
transforming agriculture into a competitive, profitable, and technology-driven
enterprise at the core of the country’s economic transformation.
Held under
the theme “From Promise to Action: Advancing Agribusiness Through Dialogue and
Innovation,” the summit brought together key stakeholders from government, the
private sector, academia, farmers’ organizations, and development partners to
deliberate on strategies for accelerating agricultural modernization.
The event
served as a strategic platform to strengthen partnerships, align policies, and
advance innovations that will reposition agriculture as a vibrant driver of
enterprise and prosperity.
Speaking at
the summit, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi underscored the
government’s resolve to build efficiency and competitiveness across the
agricultural value chain.
“We are
strengthening entire value chains, enhancing market efficiency, and modernizing
rural infrastructure to unlock the full potential of the sector,” Mudavadi
said, adding that the government’s focus is guided by the Agricultural Sector
Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS) and the Bottom-Up Economic
Transformation Agenda (BETA).
These policy
frameworks, he said, aim to reduce duplication, stabilize markets, and curb
exploitation while ensuring farmers and agripreneurs receive tangible benefits.
Since its
inception, the National Agribusiness Summit has evolved into a high-level
platform that champions the transformation of Kenya’s agricultural sector into
a modern, commercially viable, and technology-enabled industry.
The summit’s
primary goal is to convene policymakers, investors, innovators, and
practitioners to share knowledge, identify challenges, and forge partnerships
that drive sustainable agricultural growth.
Agriculture
remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, employing more than 60 percent of the
population and contributing significantly to the national GDP.
However, the
sector continues to face persistent challenges such as limited access to
markets, low productivity, inadequate value addition, and the growing effects
of climate change.
In response,
the government has rolled out transformative initiatives under ASTGS and BETA
aimed at repositioning agriculture as a key pillar of inclusive growth and
industrialization.
The summit
complements these efforts by creating space for evidence-based dialogue,
innovation showcases, and policy coordination across agricultural value chains.
Each edition
of the summit highlights emerging opportunities, investment trends, and technological
innovations that enhance productivity, resilience, and competitiveness.
This year’s
discussions emphasized the importance of climate-smart agriculture, digital
transformation, value addition, and access to finance for smallholder farmers.
Through its
collaborative approach, the summit has facilitated strategic partnerships
between county governments, national agencies, and private investors.
It has also
become a key forum for assessing policy implementation, sharing best practices,
and tracking progress toward Kenya’s agricultural transformation goals.
By focusing
on innovation and enterprise-driven solutions, the National Agribusiness Summit
continues to redefine the future of Kenyan agriculture, shifting it from
subsistence to a modern, competitive, and sustainable sector capable of driving
national development and food security.
