By Pascal Ndegwa - Reporter
Kenya, October 8, 2026 - President William Ruto joined the second day of the Agriculture & Food Systems Transformation Summit 2026 at Jamhuri Park, where farmers and leaders took stock of progress while pointing to urgent next steps for food sovereignty.
Livestock keepers from ASAL counties noted improved water access, better feeds and fodder, fewer disease outbreaks and stronger extension services, while calling for more funding at the county level. Maize, sugar and coffee farmers thanked the government for subsidies, debt clearance, the Sugar Act and expanded health cover under SHA, but appealed for loan relief, timely payments, quality seedlings, modern processing equipment and an end to cartels.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja welcomed farmers to the capital, explaining that the city hosts the summit because it is the country’s biggest consumer of food. He revealed that Kenya loses 40 per cent of what it produces , about 9 million tonnes. Halving that loss, he said, would feed an additional 7 million Kenyans. The real revolution, Sakaja argued, lies in saving what is already grown by shifting from markets that merely sell food to markets that preserve it, creating new jobs in the process.
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He called for the use of predictable institutional demand so farmers can take firm orders to the bank, transparent tenders that give producers direct access, and the full application of Kenya’s technology-rich infrastructure to agriculture. Sakaja urged young people to innovate in this space, insisting that technology, cold storage and better market systems can turn post-harvest losses into national food security gains.