Office of Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development

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LIVESTOCK INVESTMENT DRIVE TO BENEFIT 350,000 PASTORALISTS ACROSS 21 ASAL COUNTIES

H.E President William Samoei Ruto has unveiled a Ksh 5B livestock investment initiative targeting more than 350,000 pastoralists across 21 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties, in what is expected to significantly boost livestock production, improve market access and strengthen livelihoods in Kenya's pastoral regions.

Speaking during the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County, the President emphasized that livestock farming must be accorded the same priority as crop agriculture, noting that the sector remains a key pillar of the national economy and the primary source of income for millions of households in ASAL areas.

At the heart of the initiative is the establishment of County Livestock Investment Companies, through which pastoralists will be organized to access financing, insurance, markets and value-addition opportunities.

The programme is expected to directly benefit more than two million household members and will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in collaboration with county governments.

The President also highlighted ongoing government interventions aimed at modernizing the livestock sector, including large-scale vaccination campaigns, livestock restocking programmes, expansion of local vaccine production, rangeland restoration, breeding improvement initiatives and investments in livestock marketing infrastructure.

To further strengthen extension services, the government will deploy additional agripreneurs across ASAL counties to provide technical support, facilitate market linkages and promote climate-smart livestock production systems.

The livestock investment drive forms part of a broader strategy to position Kenya as a regional hub for livestock production and trade while increasing exports of meat, dairy and leather products.

It also underscores the government's commitment to unlocking the full economic potential of pastoral communities and accelerating the inclusion of historically marginalized regions in national development.
Jonathan Mueke Dr.Kipronoh Ronoh Paul

"As we celebrate the 63rd Madaraka Day, let us honor the spirit of self-reliance by empowering our farmers, strengthening food security, and building a more prosperous Kenya through agriculture. Happy Madaraka Day. 🇰🇪." CS Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, EGH.

KENYA DEEPENS AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION AMID PUSH TO REMOVE TRADE BARRIERS

CS Sen.Mutahi Kagwe is set to travel to South Africa next week for high-level discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and deepening economic cooperation between the two countries, with agriculture expected to take center stage.

The visit, scheduled for June 4, comes as Kenya seeks to expand market access for its agricultural products and address longstanding non-tariff barriers that have hindered the smooth movement of commodities between African countries.

During the engagement, Kenyan and South African officials are expected to hold talks focused on removing trade bottlenecks affecting agricultural exports and imports, a move that could unlock new opportunities for farmers, exporters and agribusiness investors in both countries.

A key outcome of the visit will be the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of agriculture, signaling a renewed commitment by the two nations to collaborate in areas such as agricultural trade, research, technology transfer, value addition, food security and investment.

The agreement is expected to pave the way for enhanced cooperation between the two of Africa’s leading economies, while supporting efforts under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade and reduce barriers that limit the growth of agricultural markets across the continent.

For Kenya, the discussions are particularly significant as the government continues to push for increased exports, greater value addition and improved access to regional and international markets for locally produced agricultural commodities.

The visit underscores Nairobi's broader strategy of leveraging diplomacy and trade partnerships to create new opportunities for farmers while positioning agriculture as a key driver of economic growth and job creation.

Happy Eid Ul Adha 🕋

KENYA TURNS TO SUGARCANE ETHANOL TO LOWER FUEL PRICES, EXPAND SUGAR SECTOR

Kenya is now looking beyond table sugar and into ethanol production as the next frontier for reviving the sugar industry, lowering fuel costs and creating thousands of rural jobs, following lessons drawn from Brazil’s globally celebrated sugarcane-to-fuel model.

Speaking during the opening of the 68th International Sugar Organization Seminar in Diani, Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki and CS Sen. Mutahi Kagwe signaled a major policy shift that could redefine sugarcane as not just a source of sugar, but a strategic energy crop capable of easing the country’s fuel burden.

The seminar highlighted how Brazil has successfully used ethanol blended fuel to stabilize gasoline prices, reduce oil dependence and grow its sugarcane economy.

Conference presentations showed ethanol-based fuel in Brazil remains significantly cheaper than conventional gasoline, with the country having replaced over four billion barrels of gasoline with ethanol over the past five decades.

DP Kindiki announced that the government will review the Sugar Act and existing regulations to anchor ethanol production within Kenya’s legal and economic framework, including working with Energy and Petroleum Regulations Authority to develop fuel blending regulations.

The move marks Kenya’s clearest indication yet that sugarcane ethanol could become part of the country’s long-term fuel strategy amid volatile global oil prices and pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

At the center of the new approach is CS Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, who said Kenya can no longer focus narrowly on sugar production while ignoring wider opportunities within the sugarcane value chain.

“We are now thinking about ethanol seriously from sugar especially with the global disruption of fuel prices,” CS Kagwe said.

In what could become a defining policy direction, CS Kagwe suggested that sugar itself may eventually become a by-product rather than the main product from sugarcane.

“We want sugar to become a by-product in Kenya, not the only product,” he said.

Kenya is now studying Brazil’s integrated sugarcane economy where ethanol, electricity cogeneration, industrial alcohol and sustainable biofuels have transformed sugarcane into a strategic industrial crop.

CS Kagwe said reforms under the Sugar Act 2024 are already laying the groundwork for industrial modernization, including investment in ethanol production, cogeneration and value addition.

The government also linked ethanol production to climate resilience and energy security, saying locally produced biofuel could reduce dependence on imported petroleum while creating stable markets for farmers.

The sugar industry currently supports more than six million Kenyans directly and indirectly, especially across western Kenya, where entire local economies depend on cane farming.

With global fuel prices remaining unpredictable and pressure mounting for cleaner energy alternatives, Kenya’s push toward ethanol could reshape both the country’s energy landscape and the future of its sugar belt.