• CS Mutahi Kagwe unveils digital farming push as 8.9 million farmers register on KIAMIS, warns 63 per cent of Kenya’s soils are acidic and announces new soil labs and drone technology.

Kagwe Unveils Digital Farming Push as 8.9 Million Farmers Registered, Warns Acidic Soils Undermine Productivity

Agriculture CS Sen. Mutahi Kagwe has outlined a major transformation of Kenya’s agriculture through digital farmer registration, expanded soil testing, drone technology and investments in livestock market infrastructure.

Speaking during the Nairobi International Trade Fair, Kagwe announced that 8.9 million farmers are now registered under the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System, KIAMIS.

He said the registration provides a foundation for targeted delivery of subsidised fertiliser, certified seeds, sexed semen, vaccination and animal identification services, helping the Government reach farmers more efficiently and account for its support.

The register, he noted, ends the era of guesswork in planning and allows the ministry to know who is farming, where they are and what they need.

Kagwe warns acidic soils are undermining productivity

Kagwe warned that declining soil health remains a major obstacle to productivity, noting that 63 per cent of Kenya’s soils are acidic.

“Our business as the ministry, and government is the soil health, not the fertilizer. Good soil health, based on sound science and data, is what shall feed and sustain us,” he said.

He compared applying farm inputs without scientific soil assessment to taking medicine without a proper diagnosis, saying farmers must understand what their land needs to avoid unnecessary expenditure and improve yields.

The warning follows his launch of the national digital soil laboratories project on September 29, establishing a connected network of modern, fully equipped laboratories under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization.

The laboratories will work with national and county governments, farmers, private-sector players and last-mile soil doctors to expand soil testing at greater speed and scale.

“Collaboration, data sharing, research and practice powered by technology will redefine our agriculture,” Kagwe said.

KADIC to serve as sector’s single source of truth

He said the Government has launched the Kenya Agricultural and Digital Information Center, KADIC, to coordinate agricultural data and technology and make services more responsive to farmers’ needs.

Describing KADIC as the sector’s single source of truth, Kagwe said the centre would help close gaps in farmer identification, advisory services, access to inputs and connections to markets.

Through a partnership with Fahari Aviation, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways, the Ministry is bringing advanced drone technology into agriculture.

The drones will support precision application of inputs, crop and livestock monitoring, soil analysis and more efficient use of resources. They will also strengthen the detection of pests, diseases and climate-related risks.

“This is a game changer,” Kagwe said.

A separate partnership with MPost will introduce universal digital addressing to help identify, locate and reach farmers, improving last-mile delivery and access to extension services, finance, insurance, inputs and markets.

“It means extension services can reach the right person at the right time. It means farmers can be properly identified and connected to finance, insurance, and markets,” he said.

Kagwe said these partnerships would also build national capacity in artificial intelligence and homegrown large language models, with clear frameworks for oversight and data protection.

He stressed that the priority was now implementation, with success measured by timely services, improved productivity and higher farmer incomes.

“What matters now is execution,” he said.

Agriculture growth under pressure from climate change

Addressing the trade fair’s theme, “Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth,” Kagwe said agriculture grew by 3.1 per cent in 2025 but remained under pressure from climate variability, rising production costs and changing market demands.

He identified climate change as the most immediate threat to production, citing estimates that droughts and floods create long-term economic liabilities equivalent to about 2 to 2.8 per cent of Kenya’s GDP annually.

For farmers, the message from the trade fair was clear. The tools are being put in place. The register, the soil labs, the drones and the digital addressing system are all aimed at one goal, which is to make support reach the right farmer at the right time and turn farming into a more predictable and profitable venture.

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