Affordable housing has helped stem fragmentation of agricultural land, says Ruto

The President says housing project ensures that land meant for food production is preserved

by ALICE WAITHERA

Realtime13 June 2025 - 20:24

In Summary

Ruto said sub-division of land poses a major threat to food security as it eats into the land meant for agricultural purposes.
He said agricultural counties such as Murang’a stand to lose if more land designated for farming activities is affected and that the availability of alternative settlement reduces pressure on the crucial resource.

President William Ruto has hailed the Affordable Housing project for stemming sub-division of agricultural land.

The President has said one benefit of the project is ensuring that land meant for production of food is not used for settlement.

Speaking during Murang’a County Investors Conference on Friday, June 13, 2025, Ruto said sub-division of land poses a major threat to food security as it eats into the land meant for agricultural purposes.

He said agricultural counties such as Murang’a stand to lose if more land designated for farming activities is affected and that the availability of alternative settlement reduces pressure on the crucial resource.

“This is why the affordable housing project is important for Murang’a county, so that it can continue leading in the production of tea and avocado fruits,” he said.

He emphasized that the government plans to establish 10,000 housing units in the first phase after which the second phase will kick off.

The project, he said, serves the country in reversing land fragmentation despite providing affordable housing for Kenyans.

Ruto also noted that the numerous Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and modern markets being established in all parts of the country are aimed at providing a means for farmers to monetize their farming.

The government is currently in the process of constructing 400 markets nationally, with 33 being established in Murang’a county.

The markets, he noted, provide cold storage facilities and conducive environments for local farmers to market their produce while cutting post-harvest losses that currently stand at 40 percent.

“Currently, a lot of produce goes to waste because farmers don’t have cold storage facilities or adequate storage. They incur huge losses after working so hard. I have given clear instructions that that 400 markets are built so that we reduce the losses”.

He lauded the county government for organizing the investors conference attended by thousands of guests underscoring the importance of highlighting the potential in every county.

“When I called Governor Irungu Kang’ata and we discussed the land ceded by Delmonte, I asked him to set aside 500 acres for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Not only did he do that but he allocated all the 1,300 acres for manufacturing purposes”.

He pledged to support the county government in realizing its aspiration of establishing a flourishing (SEZ) asking the Ministry of Trade to facilitate the establishment of processing plants by both local and international investors.

He further gave an assurance that the land will be gazetted as a Special Economic Zone to make it easier for the county to partner with private investors.

“We will facilitate all the required areas to change the land into a manufacturing zone so that we can unlock its potential. We will also work together to support infrastructural development in the facility”.

He said the government will complete all stalled road projects in the county to allow smooth transportation of raw materials from the farms to the SEZ before starting new ones.

In establishing six extra special economic zones in the country, the President said his aim was to foster agro-processing as county aggregation and industrial parks help in primary value-addition.

Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi, who was among an array of attendees, said industrialization is the only way to create jobs for millions of jobless Kenyans.

This way, he said, they can pay taxes and contribute to the growth of the economy.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome on her part commended the President for attending the conference saying Murang’a county is endowed with industrialists and financial services leaders.

Wahome pledged to engage the National Lands Commission to have allotment letters provided for the land covered by the SEZ.

She noted that the government is in the process of establishing 6,800 hostels for local technical learning institutions and KMTC, with 10 affordable housing projects set to be established in the county.