CS Kagwe Wraps Up U.S. Tour with Promising Deals for Kenya’s Agriculture
The system is expected to promote transparency, increase financial services to farmers, and facilitate the creation of customized credit facilities.
CS Kagwe also held a meeting with Mastercard Executive Vice President Tara Nathan at the Kenya Consulate in New York. They talked about registration of farmers, financial inclusion, and access to credit.Photo/Citizen Digital
By Juliet Jerotich
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has concluded a high-ranking visit to the United States where he inked agreements that will boost Kenya’s agricultural exports as well as new investments into the industry.
Among the highlights of the tour was an encounter between Kagwe and Gavin Van Der Burgh, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Africa Trade Desk (USATD). Out of the discussions, Kenya secured undertakings that its produce will be more visible on U.S. store shelves, with an assurance of more stable demand in one of the world’s most competitive markets. USATD also undertook to provide financing facilities to Kenyan exporters. The support, Kagwe said, will enable the exporters to meet higher production demands, enjoy stable supply chains, and diversify to cover new distribution channels.
Speaking to stakeholders in the U.S., the Cabinet Secretary urged investors to put money into large-scale agriculture and agro-processing ventures in Kenya. In particular, he pointed out wheat, yellow maize, and rice as crops that deserved priority attention, and elucidated that under proper investment, Kenya could turn around its status as a net importer to a regional exporter of the staples. This, he continued, would increase food security while boosting Kenya’s competitiveness in trade.
CS Kagwe also held a meeting with Mastercard Executive Vice President Tara Nathan at the Kenya Consulate in New York. They talked about registration of farmers, financial inclusion, and access to credit. The two parties agreed to explore establishing a centralized Agriculture Information and Resource Centre (AIRC) that would collect and manage information on farmers. The system is expected to promote transparency, increase financial services to farmers, and facilitate the creation of customized credit facilities.
In another significant development, Kenya entered into a partnership with South Carolina State University’s 1890 Research & Extension program. Through the partnership, training opportunities will be provided, research on climate-resilient crops will be enabled, and knowledge transfer in agricultural technologies will be promoted. Kagwe was hopeful that the program would improve the capacity of Kenya to produce climate-resilient crops and a skilled labor force for the sector.
The mission also saw the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the South Carolina African American Chamber of Commerce (SCAACC) sign a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU, signed by KNCCI Diaspora Chairman Simon Kariuki Nyagah and SCAACC Chairman Stephen Gilchrist, covers more than 15,000 enterprises and paves the way for increased trade relations, investment flows, and business partnerships between the two regions.
CS Kagwe stated that the U.S. visit represented a significant move in unleashing Kenya’s agricultural potential via global partnerships.
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