NAIROBI, Kenya— Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called on stakeholders in the agri-food sector to adopt innovative and inclusive financing models to drive sustainable growth and resilience in Kenya and across the continent.
Speaking at the Financing Agri-food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) 2025 Summit in Nairobi, Mudavadi emphasized the need for forward-thinking solutions that respond to the challenges facing smallholder farmers and rural agricultural systems.
He highlighted instruments such as green bonds, diaspora bonds, and Islamic finance as vital tools for unlocking new investment opportunities.
“We must move beyond conventional financing,” said Mudavadi.
“What we need is not just more financing, but smarter, inclusive, and context-sensitive financing that prioritizes structure, purpose, and accessibility.”
He announced Kenya’s ongoing efforts to develop a National Agri-Investment Platform, an ambitious initiative aimed at uniting public institutions, banks, cooperatives, and agri-preneurs into a centralized ecosystem for agricultural financing.
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The platform will offer a one-stop shop for farmers, linking them to credit, insurance, savings, and investment services powered by data and technology.
Likewise, Musalia underlined the transformative potential of blockchain-enabled traceability, noting its role in improving farmers’ creditworthiness and trust in food systems.
He reiterated the importance of smallholder farmers, who contribute more than 75% of Kenya’s agricultural output and dominate domestic food supply.
However, he pointed out that these farmers remain trapped in underdeveloped value chains, disconnected from organized markets and lacking access to quality inputs, information, and financial services.
He stressed the need for regional and continental cooperation to complement national efforts, asserting that sustainable food systems cannot be achieved in isolation.
The FINAS 2025 Summit brought together key players from the public and private sectors to evaluate progress made since the last summit, explore emerging opportunities in food system financing, and propose models aligned with global frameworks such as the Kampala Declaration.
Key topics included the role of state actors in agricultural financing, best practices from India’s rural development experience, and innovations in resilience funding for climate adaptation.
The summit also placed a strong emphasis on inclusive financing solutions for youth and women, and the integration of digital technology and data into agriculture finance.
The forum celebrated excellence in agri-financing and strengthened collaboration between governments, businesses, and financial institutions, marking a significant step forward in transforming food systems across Africa.
