Kenyan agricultural policy rests on the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy 2019–2029 and on the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda of the Fourth Medium Term Plan 2023–2027. Under the 2010 Constitution agriculture is a devolved function shared with 47 counties, whose devolved functions took effect from the first county elections and were transferred in phases1. Crop regulation rests on the Agriculture and Food Authority and Crops Acts of 2013 and on separate Acts for tea, sugar and coffee, finance on the Banking, CBK, Sacco and Movable Property Security Rights Acts, and climate on the Climate Change Act of 2016 as amended in 2023. The Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025 repealed the statutes of AFC and NCPB from 5 December 2025.
This note explains how the entries are linked. Most Acts link to their page on Kenya Law, the official legal database of the National Council for Law Reporting, which gives the Cap. number, the gazette reference, the dates of assent and commencement and the amendment and repeal history used in the entries. Some entries also link to consolidated texts hosted by regulators (CBK, the National Land Commission, SASRA and the Business Registration Service) or to the statement of the responsible institution.
Milestones in agricultural and agri-finance policy
2010
Constitution devolves agriculture to the counties1Law
Food and Feed Safety Control Co-ordination Act in force, Animal Identification and Traceability Bill after public participation2223Law
8.1
Constitution, land and crops
Constitution of KenyaConstitution of Kenya, 20102010
The Constitution devolves government to 47 counties (Article 6 and Chapter Eleven). Its Fourth Schedule assigns agriculture, including crop and animal husbandry, livestock sale yards, county abattoirs, plant and animal disease control and fisheries, to county governments, while agricultural policy and veterinary policy remain national functions1. Article 61 classifies land as public, community or private1.
Agriculture and Food Authority ActCap. 317 (Act No. 13 of 2013)Assented 14 Jan 2013, commenced 17 Jan 2014
The Act establishes the Agriculture and Food Authority as a state corporation with the mandate to regulate, develop and promote the production, processing and marketing of scheduled crops254. The Authority works through directorates for horticultural crops, nuts and oil crops, food crops, miraa, pyrethrum, and fibre and other industrial crops25. Sugar regulation passed to the Kenya Sugar Board under the Sugar Act 2024, and the Coffee Act 2026, in force since 27 March 2026, assigns coffee regulation to the Coffee Board of Kenya1821.
Recent changes: Assented to as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority Act and renamed in 2016. Also amended by Act No. 37 of 2013 on 24 July 2013, the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2016 (Act No. 7 of 2016) on 10 May 2016, the Fisheries Management and Development Act on 23 September 2016 and the National Electronic Single Window System Act on 11 July 2022. Most recently amended by the Sugar Act 2024 on 21 November 2024 and by the Food and Feed Safety Control Co-ordination Act 2026 on 10 July 20264.
Crops ActCap. 318 (Act No. 16 of 2013)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXV No. 28 of 22 Feb 2013, assented 14 Jan 2013, commenced 1 Aug 2014
The First Schedule of the Crops Act lists the scheduled crops whose production, processing and marketing the Agriculture and Food Authority regulates255. Section 107 of the Coffee Act 2026 deleted coffee from the First Schedule, and tea and sugar now have their own Acts51318.
Recent changes: Amended by the Tea Act on 11 January 2021, the Sugar Act 2024 on 21 November 2024, the Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025 on 5 December 2025 and the Coffee Act 2026 on 27 March 20265.
Sugar ActAct No. 11 of 2024Assented 1 Nov 2024, commenced 21 Nov 2024
The Act provides for the development, regulation and promotion of the sugar industry18. It establishes the Kenya Sugar Board, which took over sugar regulation from the Agriculture and Food Authority, and the Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute, which took over sugar research from KALRO19.
Coffee ActAct No. 8 of 2026Assented 13 Mar 2026, commenced 27 Mar 2026
The Act establishes the Coffee Board of Kenya, which regulates and promotes the coffee industry and licenses and registers coffee dealers, and the Coffee Research and Training Institute, and sets out the roles of the national and county governments21. It removed coffee from the scheduled crops of the Crops Act, so the Agriculture and Food Authority no longer regulates coffee21.
Co-operative Societies ActCap. 490 (Act No. 12 of 1997)Kenya Gazette Vol. C No. 5 of 16 Jan 1998, assented 22 Dec 1997, commenced 1 Jun 1998
The Act governs the constitution, registration and regulation of co-operative societies, with a Commissioner for Co-operative Development26. Kenya had 9,640 registered agricultural cooperative societies in 202527.
Land ActCap. 280 (Act No. 6 of 2012)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXIV No. 35 of 4 May 2012, assented 27 Apr 2012, commenced 2 May 2012
The Act sets out the forms of tenure, the management of public land and the conditions for leases, licences and agreements over land228. It is administered alongside the Land Registration Act and the Community Land Act2.
Community Land ActCap. 287 (Act No. 27 of 2016)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXVIII No. 107 of 9 Sep 2016, assented 31 Aug 2016, commenced 21 Sep 2016
The Act provides for the recognition, protection and registration of community land rights630. It implements the community land category of Article 63 of the Constitution1.
Government Owned Enterprises ActAct No. 25 of 2025Published 27 Nov 2025, assented 21 Nov 2025, commenced 5 Dec 2025
The Act governs the establishment, control, performance and ownership of Government Owned Enterprises20. It repealed the Agricultural Finance Corporation Act and the National Cereals and Produce Board Act, and lists AFC and NCPB among the state corporations to be reconstituted as public limited companies that take over their rights, assets and liabilities20.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service ActCap. 349 (Act No. 54 of 2012)Assented 31 Dec 2012, commenced 1 Sep 2016. KEPHIS was first set up by Legal Notice 305 of 1996
The Act constitutes KEPHIS, which assures the quality of agricultural inputs and produce and protects plant health3132. Its First Schedule lists the Plant Protection Act (Cap. 324) and the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act (Cap. 326) among the laws the Service implements31.
Recent changes: Amended by the Food and Feed Safety Control Co-ordination Act 2026 on 10 July 202632.
Seeds and Plant Varieties ActCap. 326Assented 16 May 1972, commenced 1 Jan 1975
The Act is one of the laws that KEPHIS implements under the First Schedule of the KEPHIS Act3133. Plant Breeder's Rights Regulations were made in 2022 and KEPHIS publishes the national crop variety list and the list of registered seed merchants31.
Recent changes: Amended by the Seeds and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Act, 2012 on 4 January 2013 and the Seeds and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Act, 2016 on 21 September 201633.
Plant Protection ActCap. 324Assented and commenced 28 Aug 1937, last amended 1971
The Act is implemented by KEPHIS, which reports that it is under review to strengthen the framework for preventing the introduction of plant pests and diseases3134. The Ministry adopted a National Phytosanitary Policy in 202435.
Pest Control Products ActCap. 346Kenya Gazette Vol. LXXXIV No. 21 of 28 May 1982, assented 25 May 1982, commenced 17 Jun 1983
The Act establishes the Pest Control Products Board to regulate the importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution and use of pest control products3637.
Fertilizers and Animal Foodstuffs ActCap. 345Assented 24 Aug 1962, commenced 4 Aug 1967
The Act regulates the manufacture, import and sale of fertilisers and animal feeds, and the consolidated text establishes the Fertilizer and Animal Foodstuffs Board of Kenya38. Kenya imported 919,982 tonnes of chemical fertilisers in 202539.
Recent changes: Amended by the Fertilizers and Animal Foodstuffs (Amendment) Act, 2015 (Act No. 20 of 2015) on 26 October 201538.
Dairy Industry Act and Dairy Industry BillCap. 336 and Dairy Industry Bill 2024 (draft)Act assented 11 Aug 1958, commenced 19 Aug 1958, amended 10 Jul 2026. Bill at draft stage on the Ministry website
The Dairy Industry Act (Cap. 336) is the legal basis of the Kenya Dairy Board4041. A Dairy Industry Bill published by the Ministry would replace the Board with a Kenya Dairy Authority and set out county roles in dairy development, and it had not been enacted by October 20264241.
Food and Feed Safety Control Co-ordination ActAct No. 21 of 2026Published 26 Jun 2026, assented 23 Jun 2026, commenced 10 Jul 2026
The Act co-ordinates the public institutions that control food and feed safety, establishes the Office of the Food Safety Controller and sets out the role of county governments22. It amends among others the Agriculture and Food Authority Act, the Dairy Industry Act and the KEPHIS Act22.
Animal Identification and Traceability BillBill, 2026 (post public participation draft of 13 July 2026)Draft, not enacted
The draft Bill would create a national animal registration, identification and traceability system and a Registrar, with roles for the Director of Veterinary Services and the counties23. Neither a Livestock Act nor an Animal Identification and Traceability Act appears on Kenya Law, and the status of livestock legislation beyond these drafts could not be confirmed.
Warehouse Receipt System ActCap. 350 (Act No. 8 of 2019)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXI No. 82 of 28 Jun 2019, assented 12 Jun 2019, commenced 2 Jul 2019. Regulations 2021 (Legal Notice No. 3)
The Act establishes the Warehouse Receipt System Council to develop and regulate a warehouse receipt system for agricultural commodities, maintain a central registry of receipt transactions and certify warehouses1043. Receipts can be pledged to lenders, which usually lend up to a share of the value of the stored goods, for example 70–80%44. The Council registered 40 warehouse receipts in FY2024/2545. Since Executive Order No. 1 of 2023 the Council falls under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry43.
National Cereals and Produce Board Act (repealed)Cap. 338Assented 8 Aug 1985, commenced 16 Aug 1985. Repealed on 5 Dec 2025 by the Government Owned Enterprises Act No. 25 of 2025
The Act established the National Cereals and Produce Board to regulate and control the marketing and processing of maize, wheat and scheduled agricultural produce46. The Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025 repealed it and lists NCPB among the enterprises to be reconstituted as public limited companies20.
Banking ActCap. 488 (consolidated to 27 December 2024)Assent 13 Sep 1989, commenced 3 Nov 1989
The Act governs the licensing and supervision of commercial banks by CBK12. The Banking (Amendment) Act 2016 introduced interest rate caps in section 33B, limiting lending rates to four percentage points above the CBK benchmark rate from September 2016, and the Finance Act 2019 repealed section 33B in November 2019712. Section 33(4) is the basis of the CBK climate risk guidance47.
Recent changes: Banking (Amendment) Act 2016 (Act No. 25 of 2016) on 14 September 2016, Finance Act 2019 (Act No. 23 of 2019) on 7 November 2019 and Business Laws (Amendment) Act 2024 (Act No. 20 of 2024) on 27 December 202412.
Central Bank of Kenya ActCap. 491 (consolidated to 4 November 2025)Assent 24 Mar 1966
The Act establishes CBK and its monetary policy functions14. The Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Act 2021 (Act No. 15 of 2021), in force from 23 December 2021, brought digital credit providers under CBK licensing14.
Central Bank of Kenya (Digital Credit Providers) RegulationsLegal Notice No. 46 of 2022Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 45 of 18 Mar 2022
Made under section 57 of the CBK Act, the Regulations govern digital credit providers and do not apply to banks, microfinance banks or Saccos48. In 2024, 32.4% of adults borrowed from a mobile money provider49.
Sacco Societies ActCap. 490B (Act No. 14 of 2008)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXI No. 2 of 9 Jan 2009, assented 24 Dec 2008, commenced 26 Sep 2009
The Act establishes the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority, which licenses Saccos to take deposits and supervises them535455. Regulated Saccos held KSh 948.3 billion of loans and advances in 202539.
Insurance ActCap. 487 (Act No. 1 of 1985)Kenya Gazette Vol. LXXXVII No. 4 of 25 Jan 1985, assented 8 Jan 1985, commenced 1 Jan 1987
The Act regulates the business of insurance and establishes the Insurance Regulatory Authority56. Insurers wrote gross premiums of KSh 464.7 billion in 2025 (own calculation)39.
Movable Property Security Rights ActCap. 499A (Act No. 13 of 2017)Kenya Gazette Vol. CXIX No. 64 of 19 May 2017, assented 10 May 2017, commenced 16 May 2017
The Act allows security rights over movable property, including tangible assets and their proceeds, created by a security agreement, and provides for a collateral registry where notices of security rights are registered857.
Agricultural Finance Corporation Act (repealed)Cap. 323Assented 18 Mar 1969, commenced 21 Mar 1969. Repealed on 5 Dec 2025 by the Government Owned Enterprises Act No. 25 of 2025
The Act constituted the Agricultural Finance Corporation as a government-owned, credit-only development finance institution5859. Its mandate was to assist the development of agriculture by lending to farmers, cooperative societies, companies and other persons engaged in agriculture or agricultural industries58. The Government Owned Enterprises Act 2025 repealed it and lists AFC among the enterprises to be reconstituted as public limited companies20.
Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth StrategyASTGS 2019–20292019
The ten-year strategy rests on three anchors, increasing the incomes of small-scale farmers, pastoralists and fisherfolk, increasing agricultural output and value addition, and boosting household food resilience, delivered through nine flagship projects9.
Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture StrategyKCSAS 2017–20262017
The strategy seeks to strengthen the adaptive capacity of farmers, pastoralists and fisher-folk, reduce emissions from agricultural production and build the policy and institutional framework for climate-smart agriculture60.
A ten-year strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development for agricultural marketing63. The Ministry's current policy list also includes the National Agroecology Strategy 2024–2033, the Post-Harvest Management Strategy 2024–2028 and the National Phytosanitary Policy 202435.
National Fertilizer Subsidy ProgrammeProgramme of the State Department for AgricultureRunning since 2022/23
Registered farmers buy subsidised fertiliser with e-vouchers issued through KIAMIS at NCPB depots, cooperatives and agro-dealers64. The price was KSh 2,500 per 50-kg bag for the 2025 long rains and KSh 2,000 in September 20266465.
National government (COFOG agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting)
County governments (agriculture)
2021/22
–
21,043.3
2022/23
77,350.6
18,453.6
2023/24
93,089.7
22,004.9
2024/25
87,994.1
20,793.0
2025/26 (provisional or projected)
97,012.7
31,346.4
Source: KNBS — Economic Survey 2026, Tables 5.8 and 5.15. In 2025/26 the national figure is about US$750.4 million and the county figure about US$242.5 million at the FY2025/26 average of the IMF monthly averages, 129.28 (own calculation)66. The Agriculture Orientation Index, the agriculture share of government spending divided by agriculture's share of GDP, was 0.130 in 202527.
8.5
International commitments and trade
Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade AreaAfCFTASigned 21 Mar 2018, ratified 6 May 2018, deposited 10 May 2018
Kenya signed the AfCFTA agreement on 21 March 2018 and deposited its ratification on 10 May 201867.
EU–Kenya Economic Partnership AgreementBilateral implementation of the EU–EAC EPASigned 18 Dec 2023, in force 1 Jul 2024
The agreement, signed on 18 December 2023 and in force since 1 July 2024, provides for the bilateral implementation of the EU–EAC EPA, whose negotiations were finalised on 16 October 2014, with the addition of trade and sustainable development provisions68. The European Commission's page, read in October 2026, states that Kenya accounts for 38% of the EU's total trade and 48% of investment in East African countries68.
AI-assisted content, human-reviewed: This page was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by a human editor. (last review: October 2026) Despite review, errors or outdated values may remain; please verify critical figures against the linked primary sources before relying on them. Nothing here is investment, legal or financial advice.
