Kilimo Trust recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a media briefing led by CEO Dr. Birungi, who highlighted the organization’s impactful work in creating jobs, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, and boosting regional trade throughout East Africa. Over the past two decades, the Trust has been dedicated to supporting smallholder farmers through innovative, community-driven strategies.
A key focus has been on improving agricultural extension services by training and deploying Village-Based Agents (VBAs). These agents, armed with specific knowledge about crops and livestock, as well as digital tools and market insights, offer personalized support to farmers via SMS and community meetings. This method has led to increased productivity, reduced post-harvest losses, and better market access.
Kilimo Trust has also teamed up with TVETs and polytechnics, especially in Rwanda, to fill the gap in agribusiness training. While students acquired technical agricultural skills, many were missing out on essential entrepreneurial know-how. To address this, Kilimo Trust created curricula for 14 value chains and provided demonstration equipment, allowing students to develop practical, business-oriented skills in areas like dairy processing and horticulture.
In partnership with the Rwanda Youth Agribusiness Forum and over 180 private companies, students also participate in one-month internships to gain hands-on experience, often leading to job opportunities or entrepreneurial ventures. This model is now being considered for expansion in Kenya, particularly within the fish value chain, with support from partners like MasterCard Foundation, TradeMark Africa, and the African Union.
Dr. Birungi stressed the importance of strong public-private partnerships, engaging youth, and enhancing financing to tackle unemployment and climate change challenges. Agriculture is central to Africa’s growth. We must invest in it to secure our future, she concluded.
Remaks by Anthony Mugambi, My role involves guiding a talented team dedicated to enhancing the agricultural sector, not just in Kenya, but throughout Eastern Africa.
Our mission is to create a more sustainable and resilient agricultural landscape, especially as we face challenges like climate change, geopolitical issues, and dwindling external support. These circumstances have pushed us to seek homegrown solutions that can enhance our competitiveness and secure our food supply. Given that Kenya imports essential staples like rice and beans and often depends on regional trade, we must utilize the East African Community as a unified market, where each country can focus on what it produces best.
Engaging the youth is essential. Many young people tend to steer clear of traditional farming due to the high risks and limited funding. However, they are stepping up in agricultural services such as mechanization, land leveling, cold chain logistics, and value addition through processing. Our goal is to empower them to become financially viable by helping them build trade histories, encouraging group-based models, and connecting them with financial institutions.
Climate change is undoubtedly our biggest hurdle, as it disrupts rainfall patterns and heightens production risks. Coupled with the rising costs of inputs, energy, and logistics, farming is becoming more challenging than ever. That’s why PREMAture is all about promoting climate-smart practices and market-driven production. We start by identifying market demand and then work our way back to connect farmers with the right seeds, training, inputs, and buyers. Additionally, we’re excited to be establishing a Centre of Excellence in dryland agriculture in partnership with Tharaka University, which underscores our commitment to fostering resilience and innovation across the region.
