ProductiviMore than 20,000 smallholder farmers, livestock keepers, cooperatives and agri-food enterprises in Nakuru county are set to benefit from a Sh1.5 billion (10.2 million euros) initiative targeted at revitalizing key value chains in the agriculture sector.

The revitalization also involves improving the support infrastructure for the value chains.

According to Deputy Governor Dr David Kones the AGRIPACT initiative, a partnership between Kenya and Italy’s Lombardy Region, will promote resilient, inclusive, and circular agri-food systems while strengthening the capacity of farmers, cooperatives, and agricultural micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate more effectively in agricultural value chains.

Dr Kones indicated that the 42-month program is directed towards improving productivity, value addition, market access, and climate resilience practices in the dairy and horticulture sectors.

He spoke after hosting a delegation from Lombardy Region led by Undersecretary to the Presidency for International and European Relations Mr. Raffaele Cattaneo for bilateral discussions on the implementation of the programme and opportunities to deepen agricultural cooperation.

Dr Kones noted that the fight against poverty in Kenya is highly dependent on the revitalization of key value chains in the agriculture sector.

He said agriculture consists of at least half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) adding that this is the sector where almost 90 per cent of Kenyans derive their livelihoods from and is the reason why the agriculture sector is at the heart of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (Beta).

“Agriculture carries almost half, in terms of where the daily household incomes of citizens of Kenya come from. Somebody is either in agriculture, a keeper of livestock, within the fisheries and blue economy or is doing certain primary sector activity like mining,” he said.

If you combine the number of people directly and indirectly engaged in the sectors I have mentioned, 90% of people in Kenya will fall in that bracket. This pillar of revitalizing value chains, the largest carrier of value chains being agriculture, is at the heart of transforming Kenya especially from the bottom-up approach,” Dr Kones pointed out.

He said Nakuru was committed to providing the technical leadership and coordination required to ensure that the investment translates into sustainable benefits for farmers and other actors in the targeted value chains.

“Nakuru has enormous potential in dairy and horticulture and this partnership provides an opportunity to unlock that potential through technology, knowledge transfer, value addition and stronger market linkages,” said Dr Kones.

He pledged that Governor Susan Kihika’s administration will provide the leadership, coordination and governance necessary to ensure that the programme delivers lasting value to local farmers.

The Deputy Governor further stated that the project would complement ongoing county efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains by supporting farmers to move beyond primary production towards value addition, better market access and commercially viable enterprises.

Dr Kones observed that stronger cooperatives and producer organizations would be critical to enabling smallholder farmers to aggregate their produce, access services and negotiate better markets.

Lombardy Region led by Undersecretary to the Presidency for International and European Relations Mr. Raffael Cattaneo said Lombardy was committed to sharing its technical expertise and experience with Kenyan farmers and cooperatives to strengthen agricultural value chains and create sustainable economic opportunities.

“Over the next 42 months, Lombardy will make its expertise available to respond to the needs identified by farmers and cooperatives. Agripact is about building skills and opportunities together and creating sustainable development that can generate jobs and strengthen local communities,” said Mr. Cattaneo.

He noted that the partnership would focus on practical solutions to challenges affecting agricultural value chains, including low productivity, post-harvest losses, weak producer organization and limited access to markets.

Mr. Cattaneo indicated that Lombardy has extensive experience in agriculture, manufacturing, cooperative enterprise development and agro-processing, which the partners say can provide opportunities for knowledge exchange and adaptation of appropriate technologies and production models in Kenya.

The initiative is part of the broader cooperation between Kenya and Italy under the Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa, which seeks to strengthen partnerships with African countries in areas including agriculture, food security, skills development, enterprise development and sustainable economic growth.

AGRIPACT was approved in July 2026 by Italy’s Joint Committee for Development Cooperation and brings together Lombardy Region, development cooperation actors and implementing partners, including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The programme seeks to address challenges affecting agricultural value chains, including low productivity, post-harvest losses, limited market access, weak producer organization and inadequate technical capacity.

The Italian delegation commended Nakuru for its investments in agricultural development and acknowledged the devolved unit’s status as a major dairy-producing area, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperatives as engines for sustainable growth.

Mr. Cattaneo said the initiative would also promote technological innovation, knowledge transfer and sustainable production models, with particular attention to cooperatives, young people, women and other actors within the agri-food sector.

Nakuru County Chief Officer for Agriculture Engineer Margaret Kinyanjui said the project would strengthen existing county programmes aimed at improving agricultural productivity, supporting farmers and expanding value addition.

“AGRIPACT comes at an important time when Nakuru is strengthening its agricultural value chains and seeking to increase the returns that farmers receive from their produce,” said Kinyanjui.

The partnership, she said, will help Nakuru county to strengthen technical capacity, improve production and post-harvest practices, promote value addition and connect farmers to more reliable markets.

The Chief Officer said the county would work closely with Lombardy Region and other implementing partners to ensure that interventions respond to the specific needs of farmers and are aligned with Nakuru’s agricultural development priorities.

AGRIPACT is expected to directly benefit about 20,800 people, including smallholder farmers and livestock keepers, cooperatives and producer organizations, agri-food MSMEs and young agricultural service providers.

The programme is supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) with co-financing by Lombardy Region and project partners.

The partnership will address the agricultural value chain from production to processing and marketing, with interventions expected to include training, technology transfer, cooperative development, agro-processing, post-harvest management, market access and circular-economy approaches.

The AGRIPACT partnership is also expected to strengthen ongoing county efforts by bringing in international technical expertise, particularly in cooperative development, agro-processing, technology and sustainable agricultural production.

Engineer Kinyanjui reaffirmed AGRIPACT partnership would provide an opportunity for Nakuru farmers and agricultural enterprises to access new knowledge, technologies and markets while strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of Nakuru’s agricultural sector.

 by Jane Ngugi and Carolyne Nyakio