The Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe has called for sweeping laws to ban the export of raw agricultural produce and compel value addition before products leave Kenya, saying the move could unlock millions of jobs for young people.
Speaking during the International Tea Day celebrations at Momul Tea Factory in Kericho, Kagwe urged Parliament to spearhead reforms that would ensure Kenyan commodities are processed locally instead of enriching foreign industries abroad.
The CS said value addition through products such as orthodox tea, green tea, purple tea, herbal blends and branded consumer packs would increase farmer earnings, strengthen the economy and position Kenya competitively in global markets.
ALSO READ:
Subsidised AI programme expands access to improved dairy breeds in Western Kenya
Kagwe also defended the Tea Levy Regulations 2026, maintaining the levy is aimed at supporting marketing, branding, research and value addition programmes within the tea sector.
He warned factory directors against using endless court cases to frustrate reforms and accused some leaders of reckless borrowing and misuse of farmers’ funds.
He further challenged Kenyan familism to give young people access to land and agribusiness opportunities, insisting the future of agriculture depends on attracting more youths into farming through innovation, investment and modern agricultural practices.
By Juma Ndigo
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
