Weekly News Roundup Nō 47 / Nov 2025

Kenya Agriculture Weekly Update: JobsConnect Launch, New Pest-Control Technologies, and Plans for 50 Mega Dams

Kenya’s agriculture sector is experiencing a pivotal moment, with the government announcing major initiatives that aim to strengthen food security, modernize farming practices and expand sustainable job creation. This roundup highlights three key developments shaping the country’s agricultural future.

Government to Launch JobsConnect Compact Targeting 6 Million Green Jobs by 2030

Kenya is preparing to roll out the JobsConnect Compact, a global framework designed to create six million green and inclusive jobs by 2030. Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the programme during a briefing at Kilimo House attended by representatives from the World Bank and founding members of the MADE Alliance, including Mastercard, Equity Group, Microsoft and KENAFF.

At the centre of this initiative is the Kenya Agriculture Data and Information Centre (KADIC), which will now host all digitisation projects within the Ministry. The Agriculture Information and Resource Centre (AIRC) will also be relocated to KADIC to reduce duplication, consolidate data flow and enhance real-time linkages among farmers, counties, cooperatives, markets and processors.

Under Director Juma Salim, KADIC’s digital unit will integrate data from 31 Ministry parastatals, providing farmers with timely, actionable insights. According to the projections, the JobsConnect Compact could:

• create 5.3 million quality jobs
• reduce food-insecure households by 10 million
• lower annual food import bills by USD 2–3 billion
• boost agricultural exports by USD 5 billion

CS Kagwe stressed that digital agriculture will be key to increasing farmer incomes and attracting more young people to the sector. He also raised concerns about high credit costs — with commercial lending rates at 18–19 percent — and recommended a guaranteed 5 percent agricultural lending model.

The government has already invested heavily, including a KSh 61 billion fertiliser subsidy and a KSh 17 billion agricultural credit facility aimed at reducing input prices and improving access to finance. Kagwe also highlighted opportunities arising from an HR transition within the Ministry, noting that new programmes such as Agri-Connect, digitised soil testing and agripreneurship training are essential for rebuilding capacity.

Source: Citizen Digital, “Government to Launch Programme Seeking to Deliver 6 Million New Jobs.”

New Technologies Set to Transform Pest-Control Practices in Kenya

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), in collaboration with the Korean government under the Korea-Africa Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI), has launched a five-year programme (2025–2029) aimed at modernising Kenya’s pest management systems.

Pests such as the invasive fall armyworm continue to devastate farms, forcing many smallholders to spend heavily on chemical pesticides. According to Dr. Zachary Kinyua of KALRO, the new programme will prioritise Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, including push–pull technology and biological controls using fungi and parasitoids that naturally suppress pests.

KALRO is also developing predictive climate-based tools to help forecast pest outbreaks. Farmers will soon be able to use a mobile app that provides early warnings on likely surges, enabling them to plan interventions more efficiently.

The initiative emphasises collaboration between researchers and farmers. Extension officers will bridge the gap by delivering updated pest-management training directly to communities. Meanwhile, ICIPE data scientists are mapping high-risk regions using predictive modelling, ensuring interventions are targeted and evidence-driven.

This programme aims to reduce pesticide dependence, strengthen farmer resilience and influence future agricultural policy toward more sustainable pest control.

Source: Kilimo News, “New Technologies Set to Transform Pest Control Practices.”

Kenya Plans to Build 50 Mega Dams to Boost Irrigation and Food Security

In a joint address to the National Assembly and Senate on November 20, President William Ruto announced an extensive plan to construct 50 mega dams, alongside 200 medium and small dams and thousands of community micro-dams across the country.

The President noted that only 15 percent of Kenya receives enough rainfall for dependable farming. The new irrigation infrastructure aims to open up 2.5 million acres of farmland over the next five to seven years, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Some of the targeted locations include Mandera (High Grand Falls Dam), Isiolo, Machakos, Garissa, Kisumu, Laikipia, Embu/Tharaka-Nithi, Turkana and Nyeri/Kirinyaga. Ruto emphasised that Kenya currently spends Sh 500 billion annually to import maize, sugar, wheat, rice and edible oils — a burden that large-scale irrigation seeks to reduce.

Funding will be provided through the National Infrastructure Fund, although concerns have been raised about land rights and potential displacement. The Ministry of Water is expected to release detailed implementation timelines and financing plans soon.

President Ruto described the dams project as central to achieving agricultural independence, climate resilience and rural development, stressing that Kenya must never confuse lack of rain with lack of water.

Source: Eastleigh Voice, “Government to Build 50 Mega Dams to Transform Kenya’s Agriculture.”