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Kenya’s Agricultural Wins Take Center Stage at Media Breakfast by Ministry of Agriculture
From Rome to Addis - Kenya's Food System Transformation Journey Gains Momentum
Gerald Kombo
April 14, 2025
Nairobi, April 14, 2025 - The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development hosted a high-level media breakfast at Westwood Hotel, Nairobi, under the banner “UNFSS+4 Kenya Edition.” The breakfast reflected on Kenya's progress since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, showcased agricultural milestones, and outlined the country's strategy for regional leadership ahead of the July 2025 Summit in Addis Ababa.
The session brought together ministry officials, development partners, media, researchers, and private sector actors, reinforcing the role of storytelling and evidence-based reporting in food systems transformation.
Key Objectives of the Breakfast
Reflect on Kenya’s transformation pathways since 2021.
Showcase food systems achievements and milestones.
Align stakeholders on Kenya’s forward strategy.
Strengthen collaboration with the media for impactful coverage.
Deputy FAO Representative to Kenya
Hamisi Williams, Deputy FAO Representative to Kenya, emphasized that food systems must be viewed holistically:
We can no longer look at food and nutrition as stand-alone issues. This is a system that requires interlinkages between affordability, accessibility, and availability.
Hamisi Williams called for integrated responses to climate, nutrition, and economic shocks, and encouraged Kenyan institutions to prepare a strong, unified voice for the Addis summit.
The Principal Secretary - State Department for Agriculture
Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh, Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture laid out the ministry’s strategic agenda to ensure food security and create employment through commercially oriented, tech-enabled agriculture.
Key Highlights:
Agriculture contributes 21.8% to Kenya’s GDP.
Livestock contributes 42% of agricultural GDP.
Prioritized value chains: tea, rice, edible oils, textiles, coffee, wheat, pyrethrum, avocado, and sugarcane.
Emphasis on public-private partnerships, behavior change communication, and scaling up farmer-first innovations.
Scientific research must leave the labs. We must make findings visible, actionable, and relevant to our communities.
Partner Voices: Ground-Level Perspectives
We’re active in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and even Sudan because farming must go on.
Stunting is down to 18%, but undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are still a concern. Our food systems must include everyone.
We’re reaching 2.6 million children. School meals are not just food they are education tools, social safety nets, and market linkages.
We have gaps in data, AI, and soil testing but the youth are pushing for innovation. We must respond with speed and alignment.
Celebrating Kenya’s Agricultural Progress
Expansion in priority value chains and post-harvest management.
Livestock sector growth and agritech innovations.
Integrated social protection through school feeding programs.
Evidence-based policy making and grassroots success stories.
Next Steps: From National Dialogue to Addis
As Kenya prepares for its National Stocktaking Dialogue (April 15 - 16) and the Regional Dialogue in Addis Ababa (July 2025), stakeholders were urged to:
Align on strategic priorities across ministries.
Support ground-level storytelling and behavior change campaigns.
Show up with data, stories, and solutions for continental leadership.
Kenya is not just participating in the food systems transformation it’s leading it. From farmer cooperatives to AI-powered soil testing, from school meals to youth agripreneurs, the future of Africa’s food security is being shaped right here.