Smallholder farmers in Nakuru County are expected to gain improved access to agricultural credit, farm inputs and climate-smart farming support under a five-year partnership between the County Government and Tupande, the Kenyan branch of international nonprofit One Acre Fund.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services Leonard Bor said the partnership would help address administrative barriers that constrain farmers’ access to services and financing.

“The agreement seeks to simplify licensing and approvals while expanding farmers’ access to credit and promoting agroforestry,” said Bor.

Bor said accessible financing and efficient service delivery were central to the county’s agricultural transformation agenda.

According to Bor, the partnership is intended to help farmers obtain resources for production while supporting food security and rural economic activity.

Bor emphasized that the agreement advances Governor Susan Kihika’s administration’s stated commitment to food security and agricultural development.

He further noted that its practical impact will depend on how quickly the county and Tupande implement the measures, communicate eligibility to farmers and monitor results.

“The county will need to report on farmers reached, credit accessed, licensing delays reduced, training delivered and trees planted and surviving,” said Bor.

Bor also added that such indicators would help establish whether the five-year partnership improves agricultural productivity, strengthens household incomes and builds resilience to climate-related risks.

The agreement comes as access to affordable agricultural finance remains a challenge for many Kenyan farmers.

According to the Central Bank of Kenya’s September 2026 Agriculture Sector Survey, 45 per cent of sampled farmers reported borrowing to finance farming activities, up from 34 per cent in July.

The survey found that farmers relied on commercial banks, savings and credit cooperative societies, informal groups, digital lenders, family and friends for financing.

The figures indicate that borrowing is an important part of farm financing, although they do not establish how many farmers can access loans on affordable terms.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has previously identified limited collateral, inadequate credit histories and low financial literacy as barriers to agricultural lending and urged

financial institutions to develop flexible products, including input financing and value-chain financing, that better reflect farmers’ needs.

The Nakuru partnership’s focus on streamlining approvals and widening credit access could help reduce some of these barriers.

However, the county announcement did not specify the loan products available, interest rates, eligibility requirements, number of farmers targeted or the amount of credit expected to reach beneficiaries.

Those details will be important in assessing whether the agreement translates into meaningful financial access.

Farmers need financing that matches agricultural production cycles and repayment capacity, particularly where income depends on rainfall, market prices and the cost of inputs.

Tupande, operated by One Acre Fund in Kenya, provides smallholder farmers with agricultural products, training and services through field staff and digital platforms.

The organisation reports serving 1,255,000 farmers in Kenya and producing 150 million tree seedlings.

Its existing operations provide a potential platform for expanding farmer support.

Agroforestry, which is also mentioned is the agreement integrates planting trees into farms to support soil conservation, provide shade, diversify farm products and improve resilience when farmers select appropriate species and manage them well.

Its benefits depend on local conditions, including water availability, tree survival and the balance between trees and crops.

The partnership also aligns with Kenya’s national tree-growing and ecosystem-restoration programme which the State Department for Forestry says aims to grow 15 billion trees by 2032 and restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes.

The programme includes farms and agricultural landscapes, making smallholder participation important to its implementation.

Agriculture Chief Officer Engineer Margaret Kinyanjui, representatives from the Office of the County Attorney, departmental staff and Tupande’s leadership team attended the signing ceremony.

 by Jefther Afuyo and Jane Ngugi