9.1
Public institutions
Established by Executive Order No. 1 of 2023 with the mandate to create an enabling environment for sustainable development of agriculture for food and nutrition security1. Its State Department for Agriculture covers agricultural and food policy, strategic food reserves, crop regulation, agriculture financing and phytosanitary services, and runs the fertiliser subsidy through KIAMIS e-vouchers23. A State Department for Livestock Development oversees livestock policy and veterinary services4.
kilimo.go.ke
Under the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution the 47 county governments are responsible for crop and animal husbandry, plant and animal disease control and fisheries5. The Council of Governors, established under the Intergovernmental Relations Act 2012, coordinates the counties6. Counties spent KSh 20.8 billion on agriculture in 2024/25 and projected KSh 31.3 billion for 2025/267.
www.cog.go.ke
Prepares the national budget and the medium-term plans, including the Fourth Medium Term Plan 2023–2027 that carries the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda8. It is the National Designated Authority for the Green Climate Fund and implements the FLLoCA climate finance programme with the counties910.
www.treasury.go.ke
State corporation established under the Agriculture and Food Authority Act No. 13 of 2013 to regulate, develop and promote scheduled crops listed in the Crops Act No. 16 of 2013, through directorates for horticulture, nuts and oil crops, food crops, miraa, pyrethrum and fibre crops1112. Tea, sugar and, since March 2026, coffee are regulated by their own boards under the Tea Act, the Sugar Act 2024 and the Coffee Act 2026131415. Its horticulture data underpin the export statistics published by KNBS16.
www.afa.go.ke
Regulator for plant health and the quality of agricultural inputs and produce, established under the KEPHIS Act (Cap. 349, Act No. 54 of 2012), which implements the Plant Protection Act and the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act1718.
www.kephis.go.ke
Statutory body under the Pest Control Products Act (Cap. 346) that regulates the import, export, manufacture, distribution and use of pest control products1920.
www.pcpb.go.ke
Regulator of the dairy industry under the Dairy Industry Act (Cap. 336)2122. A draft Dairy Industry Bill would replace it with a Kenya Dairy Authority23. Recorded marketed milk reached 1,013.7 million litres in 202516.
kdb.go.ke
Responsible for public irrigation development, building on the National Irrigation Board created in 196624. The National Irrigation Authority is established under the Irrigation Act (Cap. 347) of 201925. Public schemes produced 303,724 tonnes of rice paddy in 2024/25 with 36,376 plot holders16.
www.irrigation.go.ke
Established under the NDMA Act 2016 (Cap. 388) to coordinate drought risk management, early warning and contingency planning in the arid and semi-arid counties2627. Its April 2026 brief placed two counties in the alarm phase and seven in the alert phase28.
ndma.go.ke
9.2
Financial institutions and regulators
Sets the Central Bank Rate, which has been 8.75% since February 2026 and remained there at the meeting of 7 October 2026, and supervises banks, microfinance banks and digital credit providers323334. Its Bank Supervision Annual Reports publish lending and non-performing loans by sector, and it issued the 2021 climate risk guidance and the April 2025 Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy353637.
www.centralbank.go.ke
Government-owned, credit-only development finance institution that lends to farmers, cooperatives and agribusinesses38. It was established under the Agricultural Finance Corporation Act (Cap. 323), which the Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025 repealed from 5 December 2025, listing AFC among the enterprises to be reconstituted as public limited companies3940. AFC had 47 branches in 35 counties and a loan book of KSh 12.07 billion at 30 June 2025, about US$93.4 million, after disbursements of KSh 4.75 billion in FY2024/254142. The Auditor-General qualified the FY2024/25 accounts, noting among other matters KSh 325.7 million of loans classified as active that should have been classified as non-performing41. AFC is listed as an active lender against warehouse receipts43.
www.agrifinance.org
Licenses and supervises deposit-taking Saccos under the Sacco Societies Act 2008 (Cap. 490B)4445. Regulated Saccos held assets of KSh 1,209.6 billion and loans of KSh 948.3 billion in 20257.
www.sasra.go.ke
Regulator of insurance business established by section 3 of the Insurance Act (Cap. 487)46. Insurers wrote gross premiums of KSh 464.7 billion in 2025 (own calculation), and the published statistics do not show agricultural insurance separately7.
www.ira.go.ke
Commercial bank accredited as a direct access entity of the Green Climate Fund9. In March 2026 the GCF approved US$43.6 million through KCB for climate-smart finance to MSMEs and farmers (FP292)47. KCB lends against warehouse receipts43.
ke.kcbgroup.com
Commercial banks listed as active lenders under the warehouse receipt system43. Their lending to agriculture is not reported separately in the sources used for this profile.
equitygroupholdings.com/ke
Operates a green bond market segment, opened in 2020, on which Acorn Holdings listed a five-year green bond issued in October 201948.
www.nse.co.ke
9.3
Market institutions
Public grain marketing board whose depots serve as outlets for subsidised fertiliser redeemed with e-vouchers3. Purchases of maize by NCPB and millers were 178.0 thousand tonnes in 202516. The National Cereals and Produce Board Act (Cap. 338) was repealed from 5 December 2025 by the Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025, which lists NCPB among the enterprises to be reconstituted as public limited companies4940.
www.ncpb.co.ke
Regulator established under the Warehouse Receipt System Act (Cap. 350, Act No. 8 of 2019), now under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, that certifies warehouses and keeps the central registry of receipts5051. It lists 18 active participating lenders43. In FY2024/25 it registered 40 warehouse receipts, certified 8 warehouse operators and 3 collateral managers and onboarded 15 financial institutions, and 7 receipts were financed52.
wrsc.go.ke
Established by the Coffee Act 2026, in force since 27 March 2026, to regulate and promote the coffee industry, license and register coffee dealers and make recommendations on strategies and policy for the coffee sector15. Cooperatives produced 36.8 of the 51.4 thousand tonnes of coffee in 2024/2516.
new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2026/8
Established by the Tea Act (Cap. 343), in force since 11 January 2021, to regulate, develop and promote the tea industry13. Kenya produced 550.4 thousand tonnes of made tea in 202516.
www.teaboard.or.ke
Private company owned by about 600,000 smallholder tea farmers through 54 tea companies with 69 factories53. It distributes subsidised fertiliser to tea farmers54. Smallholders produced 271.8 thousand tonnes of made tea in 202516.
www.ktdateas.com
Regulator of the sugar industry established by the Sugar Act 2024, which took over the functions previously handled by the Agriculture and Food Authority55.
kilimo.go.ke
9.4
Data and advisory
Public research organisation established under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act, which the Ministry lists among the Acts it administers58. It co-implemented the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (P154784)59. Sugar research moved from KALRO to the new Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute in 202455.
www.kalro.org
Public research and training institute for the coffee sector established by section 39 of the Coffee Act 202615.
new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/act/2026/8
9.5
International programmes and credit lines
The World Bank finances the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (US$250 million, approved 2022), the FLLoCA county climate programme and the regional DRIVE project for pastoralists, and two further agricultural operations with proposed IDA credits of US$400 million and US$250 million were in its pipeline in October 20266010616263. The Green Climate Fund finances dairy, value chain and rangeland projects through IFAD, FAO and IUCN and climate-smart lending through KCB64656647.
| Programme / facility | Funder | Partner | Amount | Date | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP, P176758) | World Bank (IDA) | Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development | US$250 m | Approved 29 Mar 2022, closing 31 Dec 2027 | Aims to increase market participation and value addition for targeted farmers in selected value chains60. Additional financing of US$100 million (P514092) was not yet approved by 18 October 2026, with a Board date planned for 23 October 202663. |
| Kenya Agriconnect Implementation Support Project (P517246) | World Bank (IDA), proposed | Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development | US$400 m (proposed) | Pipeline, Board date planned 25 Nov 2026 | A proposed operation to create jobs in priority agribusiness value chains and improve food and nutrition security, listed as pipeline and not approved in October 202662. |
| Kenya Resilient Irrigation for a Sustainable Economy Project (P517436) | World Bank (IDA), proposed | Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation | US$252 m (proposed, IDA US$250 m and grant US$2 m) | Pipeline, Board date planned 25 Nov 2026 | A proposed project to increase access to climate-resilient irrigation and improve irrigation service performance, listed as pipeline and not approved in October 202663. |
| De-risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies (DRIVE, P176517) | World Bank (IDA), regional | Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (Kenya component) | US$360.5 m (regional, IDA US$327.5 m and grant US$33.0 m) | Approved 21 Jun 2022, closing 30 Sep 2027 | Provides pastoralists with a package of savings, insurance and digital accounts and supports livestock value chains61. In Kenya 1,520,550 pastoralists and dependents were covered by 10 October 2025, and across the project 99% of pastoralists received payouts within 30 days of the official announcement67. |
| Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Program (FLLoCA, P173065) | World Bank (IDA and grant) | The National Treasury and county governments | US$150 m plus US$21.4 m grant | Approved 26 Oct 2021, closing 31 Dec 2026 | Finances locally-led climate resilience investments and strengthens county and national climate risk management10. Additional financing of US$30 million was approved on 27 February 202610. |
| Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (P154784) | World Bank (IDA) | KALRO and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development | US$250 m | Approved 9 Feb 2017, closed 30 Nov 2023 | Supported agricultural productivity and climate resilience of smallholder farming and pastoral communities59. |
| Emergency Locust Response Program (P173702) | World Bank (IDA), regional | Agriculture ministries of the participating countries | US$195.6 m (regional) | Approved 20 May 2020, closing 31 Dec 2026 | Responds to the desert locust outbreak and strengthens preparedness systems68. |
| Disaster Risk Management DPC with a Cat DDO (P161562) | World Bank (IDA) | The National Treasury | US$200 m | Approved 21 Jun 2018, closed 30 Sep 2021 | Contingent credit to strengthen the government's capacity to manage the fiscal impact of climate and disaster risks69. |
| GCF FP292 – Climate-smart solutions for MSMEs and farmers (CST Facility) | Green Climate Fund | KCB Bank Kenya | US$43.6 m GCF (US$96.9 m total) | Approved 28 Mar 2026 | Grant, loan and guarantee financing through KCB for climate-smart lending to MSMEs and farmers, with an anticipated 936,000 people with increased resilience47. |
| GCF FP269 – DaIMA, Dairy Interventions for Mitigation and Adaptation | Green Climate Fund | IFAD (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda) | US$150 m GCF (US$358 m total) | Approved 3 Jul 2025, completion 2031 | Low-emission, climate-resilient dairy development in four countries, with 6% of GCF financing disbursed by October 202664. |
| GCF FP255 – Lake Region Economic Bloc agricultural value chains | Green Climate Fund | FAO | US$29.2 m GCF (US$50 m total) | Approved 20 Feb 2025, completion 2031 | Climate-resilient, low-carbon agricultural value chains in the Lake Region counties, with 31% of GCF financing disbursed65. |
| GCF FP113 – TWENDE, ecosystem-based adaptation in the rangelands | Green Climate Fund | IUCN | US$23.2 m GCF (US$34.5 m total) | Approved 8 Jul 2019, completion 2027 | Ecosystem-based adaptation in arid and semi-arid rangelands towards ending drought emergencies, with 87% of GCF financing disbursed66. |
9.6
National programmes
| Programme / facility | Funder | Partner | Amount | Date | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme and e-voucher (KIAMIS) | Government of Kenya | State Department for Agriculture, NCPB, counties, KTDA | More than 38 million bags since 2022 (Ministry statement) | Since 2022/23 | Registered farmers redeem e-vouchers for fertiliser at KSh 2,500 per 50-kg bag in the 2025 long rains and KSh 2,000 in September 2026, and over 6.8 million farmers were registered on KIAMIS by June 20253547071. |
| Warehouse receipt financing | Participating banks, microfinance banks and Saccos | Warehouse Receipt System Council | Loans usually up to a share of stored value, for example 70–80% | Act in force since 2 July 2019 | Farmers and traders pledge receipts from certified warehouses to 18 participating lenders4350. In FY2024/25 the Council registered 40 receipts, 5,844 bags were deposited and 7 receipts were financed52. |
| 2025/26 Kenya Census of Agriculture | Government of Kenya | KNBS and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development | – | 2025/26, results not yet published | First comprehensive census of agricultural holdings since independence, covering tenure, land use, crop area, livestock, fisheries, labour and inputs57. |
Sources cited on this page
- About us (web page) — Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)verified
- State Department for Agriculture (web page) — Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)verified
- Launch of the 2025 long rains National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (NFSP) at the NCPB GPC depot, Nairobi, news release, 18 December 2024 — Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)verified
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- Kenya country page (web page) — Green Climate Fundverified
- Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Program (FLLoCA), P173065, project page — World Bankverified
- Home page — Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA)verified
- Agriculture and Food Authority Act, Cap. 317 (Act No. 13 of 2013) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Tea Act, Cap. 343 (Act No. 23 of 2020) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Sugar Act, No. 11 of 2024 (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
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- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service Act, Cap. 349 (Act No. 54 of 2012) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- About us (web page) — Pest Control Products Board (PCPB)verified
- Pest Control Products Act, Cap. 346 (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Policies, laws and regulations (download page) — Kenya Dairy Board (KDB)landing page verified
- Dairy Industry Act, Cap. 336 (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
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- Home page — State Department for Irrigation (Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation)verified
- Irrigation Act, Cap. 347 (Act No. 14 of 2019) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- About NDMA (web page) — National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)verified
- National Drought Management Authority Act, Cap. 388 (Act No. 4 of 2016) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Drought situation brief, published 14 April 2026 (web page) — National Drought Management Authority (NDMA)verified
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- The Climate Change (Carbon Markets) Regulations, 2024, Legal Notice No. 84 of 2024 (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
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- Annual Reports and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2025, with the Report of the Auditor-General (PDF, Parliament of Kenya library) — Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), tabled in Parliamentverified
- IMF, Exchange Rates (ER) dataset – Kenya, domestic currency per US$ (end of period and period average) — International Monetary Fund (IMF), Statistics Departmentverified
- Warehouse receipt financing (web page) — Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRSC)verified
- Who we are (web page) — Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA)verified
- Sacco Societies Act, Cap. 490B (Act No. 14 of 2008) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Insurance Act, Cap. 487 (Act No. 1 of 1985) (Kenya Law web page) — National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
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- About us (web page) — Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings (KTDA)verified
- PS Ronoh flags off 99,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser at the Port of Mombasa, news release, 8 September 2026 — Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)verified
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- The Kenya Poverty Report 2022, based on the 2022 Kenya Continuous Household Survey (PDF) — Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
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- Current policies, laws and regulations (web page) — Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD)landing page verified
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- Kenya Agriconnect Implementation Support Project, P517246, project page — World Bankverified
- Projects API v3, Kenya projects sorted by approval date (JSON) — World Bankverified
- FP269 DaIMA – Dairy Interventions for Mitigation and Adaptation, project page — Green Climate Fundverified
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- FP113 TWENDE: Towards Ending Drought Emergencies, ecosystem-based adaptation in Kenya's arid and semi-arid rangelands, project page — Green Climate Fundverified
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