Kenya Seeks to Revive Agricultural Extension Services in Kenya Through University Partnerships

• Agricultural extension services in Kenya are set for revival through university partnerships, U.S. expertise and stronger links between research and farmers.

Kenya is seeking to revive agricultural extension services in Kenya through stronger partnerships between universities, county governments, research institutions and farmers, amid concerns over limited access to timely technical advice.

The proposed approach follows discussions between Kenyan public universities, county governments and the United States-based National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) on ways to rebuild an extension system that once played a major role in supporting farmers.

Professor Daniel Mugendi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Embu and chair of the forum of vice-chancellors of public universities in Kenya, said the country’s extension system had weakened over the years even as agriculture continues to play a central role in the economy.

He said agricultural extension services provide farmers with practical knowledge on improved production technologies, soil management, pest and disease control, climate adaptation and market access.

“The issue of extension has not been handled very well in our counties, and yet agriculture is the backbone of our economy,” Mugendi said.

He spoke during a meeting on Strengthening US-Kenya Agricultural Trade organised by NASDA together with its in-country implementing partner Rootooba.

Mugendi said universities could take a greater role in rebuilding agricultural extension services by creating stronger links between agricultural research, innovation and farmers.

He cited the United States land-grant university model, where universities have traditionally combined teaching, research and extension. He said Kenya could adapt parts of the approach to fit its own agricultural system.

“We can borrow what has worked in America, like in the land-grant system universities, where extension is anchored in the universities,” he said.

The need for effective agricultural extension services has grown as farmers deal with climate variability, declining soil fertility, high input costs, emerging pests and diseases and changing market requirements.

Kenya’s Agricultural Transformation and Growth Strategy had previously identified weaknesses in the extension system and proposed its revitalisation and digitisation.

The strategy estimated that Kenya had about 4,000 to 4,500 extension officers against an average extension officer-to-farmer ratio of about one officer for every 1,000 farmers. It proposed adding about 3,000 trained youth extension agents to improve the ratio to one officer for every 600 farmers.

Mugendi said Kenya previously had a functional extension system, especially during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, but coordination weakened over time.

“We used to have a system that worked very well in the 70s, in the 80s, in the 90s, but somehow that broke down, and now we don’t seem to have a very well-coordinated system,” he said.

He said restoring agricultural extension services would require political commitment and stronger coordination between county governments, universities, research institutions and the national government.

NASDA Chief Executive Officer Ted McKinney said the organisation had identified Kenya as a priority country for engagement in Africa because of its position as a regional leader in food and agriculture.

McKinney said the partnership was not intended to impose the U.S. extension model on Kenya. Instead, NASDA wants to examine how American experience could support Kenya’s own efforts to strengthen agricultural services.

“We’re here not to tell Kenya what to do. That’s not our business,” McKinney said.

NASDA plans to support a study examining the current state of Kenya’s extension system and the needs of farmers, universities, processors, county governments and national government institutions.

McKinney said NASDA had committed between $100,000 and $200,000 for the initial study.

The study will involve consultations with universities, government institutions, farmers and food processors before recommendations are developed.

“We had an extension service, a formal extension service many years ago. Should we? Can we reconstitute that?” McKinney said.

He said the U.S. experience demonstrates the value of connecting farmers with universities and research institutions.

McKinney, who grew up on a family farm in Indiana, said university-based extension services had supported his family’s farming operations and could offer lessons for Kenyan farmers.

The next stage will involve taking findings from the initial study to farmers and counties through consultations with farmers, county governments and the national government.

The consultations are expected to provide more information on the structure, staffing and resources required for a stronger extension system.

Doug Miyamoto, director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and a NASDA member, said agricultural universities could help ensure research findings move beyond academic institutions and reach farmers.

He said extension services provide a link between universities, research institutions and farmers, allowing technical information to reach producers in a practical form.

The proposed approach comes as Kenya continues to invest in agricultural research and innovation while facing challenges in moving some technologies from research institutions to farms.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation has also been working with Kenyan extension officers and farmers to improve practical knowledge on soil health.

In July 2026, FAO said 30 extension officers and 15 farmers had received training in western Kenya under its Soil Doctors Programme. The training aimed to strengthen soil management knowledge among extension workers and farmers, who would then pass the knowledge to other producers.

Miyamoto said stronger agricultural extension services could also help farmers access markets and adopt technologies designed to improve productivity and farm profitability.

The U.S. delegation also expressed interest in exploring agricultural trade opportunities with Kenya. Areas under consideration include livestock feed products and increased access to the U.S. market for Kenyan products such as coffee and cut flowers.

For Kenya, rebuilding agricultural extension services could provide a stronger link between research, government programmes and farmers. Universities hold significant research capacity, while county governments remain central to agricultural service delivery.

The proposed partnership seeks to bring these institutions closer together while giving farmers a greater role in determining the type of support they need.

The planned study and consultations are expected to provide a clearer picture of the gaps in the existing extension system and possible approaches for rebuilding a coordinated national framework.

Read original post by AGATHA NGOTHO

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