By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Kenya , June 11,2026 - Agriculture has taken centre stage in Kenya’s 2026/27 Budget, with the government allocating KSh64 billion to boost productivity, strengthen value chains, and enhance resilience in a sector that supports the majority of households and remains central to the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi told Parliament that agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy and a key driver of inclusive growth, employment creation, and food security.
“Mr. Speaker, agriculture remains central to BETA and Kenya’s long-term prosperity. It supports more than two-thirds of Kenyan households and generates significant employment multiplier effects,” Mbadi said.
He emphasized that strengthening the sector is critical to improving food and nutrition security while also expanding income opportunities for rural communities and historically excluded groups.
“Strengthening agriculture is therefore essential for food and nutrition security, enhancing resilience, and promoting a shared prosperity,” he added.
Under the 2026/27 framework, the government has prioritised interventions aimed at lowering production costs and increasing output at the farm level.
Mbadi proposed KSh18 billion for the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme, alongside KSh2 billion for seed subsidies and KSh1 billion for the Coffee Seedlings Programme, all aimed at improving access to affordable inputs for smallholder farmers.
He also allocated KSh4.7 billion for the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project to strengthen processing capacity and improve market linkages for agricultural produce.
Additional funding includes KSh5.4 billion for the Food Systems Resilience Project and KSh1.6 billion for the Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security Programme, designed to help farmers adapt to climate shocks and diversify income sources.
The livestock sector also features prominently in the budget, with targeted investments aimed at supporting pastoral communities and improving commercialization of livestock production.
Mbadi proposed KSh3.3 billion for the De-Risking, Inclusion and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies Programme, KSh1.3 billion for the Kenya Livestock Commercialization Programme (KeLCoP), and KSh400 million for livestock value chain support initiatives.
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These interventions are expected to improve access to markets, strengthen animal health services, and enhance resilience among pastoral communities facing climate-related vulnerabilities.
The government has also expanded funding for the blue economy, allocating KSh8.2 billion to fisheries and marine development projects aimed at boosting coastal and lakeside livelihoods.
Key allocations include KSh2.1 billion for aquaculture development, KSh1.8 billion for the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development Project, and KSh578 million for the Kabonyo Fisheries and Aquaculture Training Centre.
Mbadi said these investments are intended to expand sustainable aquaculture, create jobs, and strengthen value addition and logistics in the fisheries sector.
Land reforms also feature in the allocation, with KSh9.4 billion set aside to address historical land challenges and improve tenure security.
Of this, KSh5 billion will support settlement of landless households in the Coast region, while KSh892 million is allocated for title deed processing and KSh388 million for digitisation of land registries.
The Treasury said these measures are intended to reduce land disputes, improve efficiency in land administration, and unlock productive use of land for economic activity.
The agriculture allocation reflects Kenya’s continued reliance on the sector as a key engine for inclusive growth under BETA, with a strong focus on input subsidies, value chain development, and climate resilience.
However, the effectiveness of these investments will depend on implementation efficiency, timely disbursement, and the ability to translate budgetary allocations into measurable productivity gains and higher rural incomes.