The National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) was officially launched at Kiprugut Chumo Stadium, Kericho, in a high-profile event attended by government officials, stakeholders, and Agripreneurs.
Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Paul Rono called for stronger cooperatives and emphasized the crucial role that agriculture plays in Kenya’s economy urging communities to step up agricultural production.
“Agriculture is number one, instrumental in human life. The cooperative sector is where we are heading,” PS Rono stated.
As part of economic empowerment efforts, the PS Agriculture announced plans to hire 70 young people per ward, while 30 Saccos will be strengthened to support Agripreneurs. In total, 210 young people will secure employment, ensuring sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
“Agripreneurs need to stand strong since they are young and energetic,” Rono reiterated.
He noted that distributing fertilizers outside the cooperative structure had been challenging and called for strengthening cooperatives to ensure smooth access to farming inputs.
Gilbert Kitiyo, the County Commissioner Kericho county, assured farmers of the national government’s commitment to sustain the agricultural sector. He praised key initiatives such as the fertilizer subsidy program, the Coffee Cherry Fund, and improved tea sector performance due to recent rains and subsidies.
“We should not reinvent the wheel, but invest more in agriculture,” said Kitiyo.
He added that housing projects in the region are progressing well, with an 11- storey building under construction and over 600 out of 700 job applicants securing employment.
Dr. Erick Mutai, Kericho Governor who was the host, acknowledged the efforts of local Agripreneurs and the strength of cooperative societies in the county. He appreciated the role of MCAs in supporting strong Saccos, ensuring financial empowerment for farmers
“We are committed to working closely with the national government to improve agricultural productivity and employment for the youth. Today Kericho farmers received Sh28.2 million injected into the existing 30 Saccos with the commissioning 210 Agripreneurs and 300 community driven development committee (CDDC) members and 13 motorcycles for extension officers across the county,” Dr. Mutai explained.
Nandi Governor, Stephen Sang, who was the chief guest at the event, advocated for agricultural transformation, emphasizing the importance of agriculture in driving economic growth in the region and echoed the sentiments of the PS and County Commissioner, that Agripreneurs and cooperative societies must be empowered. He reiterated the need for strong extension services to support farmers, citing low productivity as a major challenge in agriculture and highlighted disparities in milk production, where some farmers produce as little as 3–5 liters per cow per day, while others manage up to 60 liters, leading to economic inequalities.
“I urge agripreneurs to work towards increasing productivity, setting a goal to raise milk output to 10 liters per cow within two years and congratulate them and assure government support in order to sustain food security and economic development,” said Governor Sang.
He also praised CBDC members and Saccos that secured funding under the program, commending the matching-funds model, which ensures commitment and accountability and further recognized subsidized AI services as a tool for modernizing agriculture and improving decision-making.
Members of County Assembly (MCAs) took the stage to commend the growing strength of local Saccos, which have enabled farmers to access credit and agricultural inputs. They encouraged young people to embrace agribusiness and assured them of support from both the county and national governments.
A representative from the Social Health Authority (SHA) urged residents to register for SHA to ease access to healthcare and reduce reliance on medical fundraising mchango.
“Instead of doing mchango when someone falls sick, let us register now, via Afya Yangu, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), or Huduma Centers to benefit from affordable healthcare,” explained Pauline, one of the officials.
The event was supported by various financial institutions and organizations, including SBM Bank, National Bank, KCB, Equity Bank, DTB, Absa Bank, Case IH Agriculture, Kericho Toyota, NAVCDP, Transformational Compassion Network (TCN), Greenview Nursing Home, the County Government of Kericho, and the Government of Kenya.
By Gilbert Mutai and Kelox Mutai
