Kenya Launches Sh1.08 Trillion Investment Plan to Transform Agriculture
Mueke said the government is repositioning agriculture as an attractive investment sector rather than relying primarily on public funding.
Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke launches the National Agri-food Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) 2026–2030 during the 2026 Financing Agrifood Systems (FINAS) Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. Photo : Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Kenya has unveiled a Sh1.081 trillion investment blueprint aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural sector, boosting food security and attracting private capital over the next five years.
The National Agri-food Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) 2026–2030 was launched during the 2026 Financing Agrifood Systems (FINAS) Summit in Nairobi, where government officials, development partners and investors gathered to discuss financing strategies for agricultural growth.
Speaking during the launch, Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke described NASIP as a comprehensive national framework that will guide investments across the country’s agri-food value chain.
“NASIP is a Sh1.081 trillion national investment framework that will guide Kenya’s agri-food systems transformation over the next five years. It will serve as our invitation to investors and partners to join us in building a more food-secure, resilient and prosperous nation,” Mueke said.
The plan targets investments in crop production, livestock, fisheries, irrigation, agro-processing, digital agriculture, climate resilience, agricultural research and access to finance.
The initiative comes as African countries contend with the effects of climate change, increasing food demand, volatile global commodity markets and limited financing for agricultural development.
Although Africa holds nearly 60% of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, the continent remains a net food importer, underscoring the need for greater investment in agricultural production, processing and value addition.
Mueke said the government is repositioning agriculture as an attractive investment sector rather than relying primarily on public funding.
“We recognize that public resources alone cannot finance agricultural transformation. Government must therefore play a different role, not as the sole financier, but as an enabler of investment, a manager of risk and a trusted partner in creating the conditions for sustainable private capital to flourish,” he said.
Under the financing model, the national and county governments are expected to contribute 35% of the total investment, while the private sector will provide 45%. Development partners and bilateral donors will finance the remaining 20%.
According to Mueke, the investment is expected to expand irrigation, strengthen agricultural value chains, promote climate-smart farming and improve farmers’ access to financial services.
The government projects that the plan will create more than two million jobs while increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes.
Mueke said NASIP complements the recently launched AgriConnect Compact, Kenya’s national commitment under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration.
He said the framework aligns national and county governments, development partners and private investors under a single implementation strategy.
“This investment is not simply about financing agriculture. It is about financing Kenya’s future. It is about building resilient food systems, modernizing agricultural value chains, creating jobs and positioning Kenya as a competitive regional hub for sustainable agrifood investment,” he said.
The government also used the summit to encourage commercial banks, institutional investors and development finance institutions to support bankable agricultural projects identified under the investment plan.
Germany reaffirmed its commitment to Kenya’s agricultural transformation during the summit.
Maren Kneller, head of development cooperation at the German Embassy in Nairobi, said Germany has invested more than Sh31.8 billion (€215 million) in Kenya’s agri-food sector, benefiting about 1.1 million farmers through initiatives that improve productivity, expand irrigation, create employment and support agricultural reforms.
She also announced an additional Sh4.62 billion (€31.2 million) in funding agreed during bilateral discussions in Berlin last week.
The package includes Sh444 million for agricultural value chains and private sector partnerships, Sh918 million to improve export readiness and trade, and Sh3.26 billion for irrigation infrastructure in western Kenya.
“Partnership is increasingly shifting from traditional donor support to mobilizing private sector investment and public-private partnerships that promote jobs, value chain development and climate-resilient agriculture,” Kneller said.
FINAS Summit Director Charity Mutegi said African countries must adopt new financing models to unlock agriculture’s economic potential.
“We cannot continue financing food systems the same way and expect different results. The focus now must be on creating financing models that attract investment, reduce risk and turn policy commitments into action,” Mutegi said.
She described the launch of NASIP as one of the summit’s most significant outcomes, noting that Kenya is among the first African countries to develop a comprehensive national agricultural investment framework aligned with the continental CAADP agenda.
Mutegi said discussions at the summit will also focus on strengthening public-private partnerships, improving the policy environment and connecting investors with commercially viable agricultural projects capable of accelerating Kenya’s food systems transformation.
About Author
