Agriculture - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya

Gov’t to establish national animal feed reserves to cushion livestock sector from drought

Sacco ReviewJanuary 19, 202604 mins

The government will establish national animal feed reserves to protect livestock and pastoralist livelihoods from recurring droughts that have previously wiped out more than 2.5 million animals and caused losses exceeding Ksh50 billion. Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe announced the initiative in Embu County, saying drought has become a recurring reality…

NBA: Kenya ready for commercialisation of GMO Cassava

Sacco ReviewJanuary 18, 2026January 18, 202604 mins

The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has announced that Kenya has successfully completed National Performance Trials (NPTs) for genetically modified (GM) cassava, paving way for the commercialization. According to NBA, the disease-resistant cassava varieties are engineered to resist Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD), which causes browning and malformation of edible roots. Some varieties are also drought-tolerant,…

Kenya, IFAD initiate Ksh 600 million EU funded program to boost soil health, agriculture

Sacco ReviewJanuary 17, 202607 mins

The government, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has initiated a Ksh600 million European Union–funded programme aimed at restoring soil health and boosting agricultural productivity for 40,000 smallholder farmers across six counties. The €4.3 million (about Ksh600 million) European Union grant will support integrated soil fertility management, soil testing, agroecological training,…

Embu dairy farmers appeal for stake at New KCC Runyenjes factory to boost production

Sacco ReviewJanuary 17, 202604 mins

Dairy farmers in Embu County have appealed to the National Government to hand over control of the underutilised New KCC Runyenjes Factory to local dairy farmers. They argued that by placing ownership of the multi-million facilities under farmers, would boost production, processing and value addition thus increasing farmers’ earnings and boosting the local economy. The…

Govt to settle Ksh1.9 Billion in salary arrears for sugar workers

Sacco ReviewJanuary 14, 202603 mins

The government has committed to clearing Ksh 1.9 billion in salary arrears owed to workers of four former state-owned sugar mills, following their privatization and leasing to private investors. Agriculture Principal Secretary Kiprono Ronoh confirmed that the arrears have been fully audited and allocated for in the national budget, ensuring that payments to the affected…

US tariffs threat risk Kenya- Iran tea trade

Sacco ReviewJanuary 13, 202604 mins

Kenya- Iran tea trade has been shaken following the US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap a 25 per cent tariff on any country trading with Iran. The country is set lose more as Tehran has been a prolific tea importer and a strategic security partner of Washington, in an awkward bind. “Effective immediately, any…

Farmers seek Miraa legal recognition, removal from drugs list

Sacco ReviewJanuary 12, 202602 mins

The Nyambene Miraa Farmers and Traders Association (Nyamita) is pushing for the removal of miraa from the Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances Act 1994. Appearing before Parliament recently, the association urged legislators to prioritise removing the stimulant crop from the list of drugs, as scheduled by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug…

Coffee market bounces back, nets Ksh 1.5B after December break

Sacco ReviewJanuary 8, 202602 mins

The Coffee market at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) has resumed its weekly auction following the December break, netting Ksh1.5 billion from the sale of 24,890 bags sourced from estates and cooperative societies. This follows a strong performance between October and December 16, where the auction generated Ksh 9.3 billion from 150,008 bags. In the…

Report: Kenya’s agriculture growth slows to 3.2% in Q3 2025 as export crops weaken

Sacco ReviewJanuary 7, 202604 mins

Kenya’s agriculture sector expanded by 3.2% in the third quarter of 2025, which is the slowest pace in more than two years as declines in key export crops outweighed gains in milk deliveries and cut flower shipments, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has reported. KNBS said the sector’s growth eased from 4.0% in…

CS Kagwe warns of food insecurity as rice deficit deepens amid court battle on duty free imports

Sacco ReviewJanuary 7, 202603 mins

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has warned that Kenya is likely to face a food insecurity crisis, driven by prolonged drought, declining domestic rice production and widening supply gaps. He said that the Country produces less than 20 per cent of the rice it consumes and is projected to face a deficit of more than…