Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, has wrapped up a week-long visit to the United States with promises of fresh markets, investment and training to strengthen the country’s farming sector.
At the centre of the trip was a pledge from the United States Africa Trade Desk (USATD) to open up more shelf space in American stores for Kenyan produce. “This will give our farmers visibility in some of the world’s most competitive retail chains,” Mr Kagwe said in New York.
USATD also promised financial backing to help Kenyan exporters meet higher demand. Its chief executive, Gavin Van Der Burgh, described the deal as a “practical step to support consistent supply while expanding Kenya’s footprint in the US market.”
Mr Kagwe pressed American investors to put money into large-scale farming and processing of crops such as wheat, maize and rice. He argued that stronger investment could turn Kenya into an exporter of staples it currently imports, easing food insecurity at home.
In New York, he also met Tara Nathan, Executive Vice President of Mastercard. They discussed a plan to help farmers register as businesses so they can access credit. Both sides agreed to explore a centralised Agriculture Information and Resource Centre to bring together farmer data, improve transparency and shape financial tools tailored for growers.
The visit extended into academia. Kenya will now work with South Carolina State University’s 1890 Research & Extension programme, with a focus on crop breeding, training and knowledge exchange. Mr Kagwe said the collaboration would “equip Kenya with resilient crops and skilled manpower to face future challenges.”
The mission also witnessed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the South Carolina African American Chamber of Commerce. Signed by KNCCI diaspora chair Simon Kariuki Nyagah and SCAACC chair Stephen Gilchrist, the pact covers more than 15,000 businesses and is expected to boost trade and investment ties.
For Kenya, the deals mark a step towards widening markets for its farmers, while also setting the stage for deeper collaboration with US institutions. Whether the promises translate into lasting benefits will depend, observers say, on how quickly projects move from boardrooms to the fields.
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