Kenya Minute.
Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Wednesday, 29 July 2026
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Kenyan press · Person

Mutahi Kagwe

Also known as: Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe · Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe · CS Sen. Mutahi Kagwe · Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe · CS Mutahi Kagwe · Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary leading initiatives on value addition, livestock digitisation, dairy payment reform, and modern agricultural financing partnerships.

2026-04-242026-07-29

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. Citizen Digital

    CS Kagwe slams global tariff escalation, urges Africa to tame export of unprocessed produce By Moses Kinyanjui July 01, 2026 08:12 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe

    CS Kagwe slams global tariff escalation, urges Africa to tame export of unprocessed produce
  3. June 2026
  4. Capital News

    Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, and Madagascar’s Minister of Livestock, Dr.

    Global Agricultural Leaders Meet in Nairobi to Chart Africa’s Food Future Amid Climate Threats
  5. The Standard

    It will conclude with site visits to the Northern Corridor transit hub in Mombasa, Konza Technopolis and Tatu City special economic zone.Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe will preside over the opening session and launch the NASIP 2026–2030.

    Africa food finance summit kicks off in Nairobi as Kenyans confront food insecurity
  6. The Standard

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is scheduled to deliver the official opening address, with remarks from AGRA President Alice Ruweza, a representative of the German Embassy, and the African Union Commission.

    Agricultural Finance Corporation banks on wholesale model to bridge $100bn finance gap
  7. The Standard

    Speaking in Nyeri, Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe said farmers will be rewarded based on milk quality, including protein and butterfat content, to support value addition in the dairy sector.

    Quality milk to fetch higher returns as Kenya shifts dairy payment model
  8. Citizen Digital

    CS Kagwe announces new model to improve milk production, reward farmers By Citizen Reporter June 26, 2026 06:19 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe speaking in Nyeri C

    CS Kagwe announces new model to improve milk production, reward farmers
  9. The Standard

    The nominations, announced under the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, recognise leaders in agribusiness, research, value addition and climate-resilient farming.Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the nominees were championing inno

    Five Kenyan women nominated for FAO's top agriculture honour
  10. Citizen Digital

    CS Kagwe: Sugar factories to power Kenya amid push for generating electricity and ethanol By Citizen Reporter June 19, 2026 06:34 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

    CS Kagwe: Sugar factories to power Kenya amid push for generating electricity and ethanol
  11. Citizen Digital

    CS Kagwe launches Ksh.1.4T agriculture mordernisation project By Citizen Reporter June 17, 2026 02:38 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe speaking during the launch of

    CS Kagwe launches Ksh.1.4T agriculture mordernisation project
  12. Citizen Digital

    Mutahi Kagwe ranked best-performing Cabinet Secretary in latest Ipsos survey By Citizen Reporter June 12, 2026 08:58 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary M

    Mutahi Kagwe ranked best-performing Cabinet Secretary in latest Ipsos survey

Monday 27 July

  1. Kindiki confirms he will be Ruto's 2027 running mate

    Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has stated he will remain President William Ruto's running mate in next year's General Election, dismissing debate over the position. Kindiki declared his intention to seek the presidency in 2032 and called for Mt Kenya region unity behind Ruto's re-election bid.

    27 July 2026 · The Standard

Saturday 25 July

  1. Farmers urge government inclusion in agricultural policy-making

    Stakeholders at a national agroecology symposium in Nairobi urged the government to support farmer, fisher, and pastoralist participation in policy decisions, citing a shift to traditional farming methods due to climate change. Kenya would require Sh46.6 billion to facilitate an effective transition to agroecology, according to Agriculture Secretary Peter Owoko.

    25 July 2026 · The Standard

Friday 24 July

  1. CS Kagwe promotes value addition across tea and cash crops

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has emphasised value addition in the tea sector to boost job creation and increase farmers' earnings, speaking during the handover of a Ksh.28.7 million grant cheque to Thumaita Tea Factory in Kirinyaga County. The government is prioritising value addition across key cash crops including tea, coffee, avocado, macadamia, pyrethrum and cotton.

    24 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Thursday 23 July

  1. CS Kagwe defends Tea Levy as uptake hits record 93%

    Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe dismissed concerns that Kenya's Tea Levy is harming the tea industry, stating that tea uptake has surged to 93%, the highest in years. He argued the 0.8% levy on tea buyers—not farmers—is essential for financing research, global marketing, and value addition to secure the sector's future.

    23 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 22 July

  1. Kerugoya court suspends rice importation gazette notice

    The High Court in Kerugoya issued conservatory orders suspending implementation of a contested gazette notice on rice importation, obtained by rice farmers in Kirinyaga County through Senator Kamau Murango's application. The court maintained the status quo before the impugned gazette notice No. 10061 of July 6, 2026 for seven days, with a hearing scheduled for July 28, 2026.

    22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Saturday 18 July

  1. Digital tracking system aims to boost Kenya's meat industry value

    Kenya launched a digital livestock tracking system called ANITRAC at a national meat conference, designed to strengthen animal health, improve food safety, and meet international traceability requirements to help grow the livestock sector from its current Sh390 billion annual contribution toward a Sh1 trillion goal within two years.

    18 July 2026 · The Standard

Friday 17 July

  1. Agriculture CS promotes digital livestock identification nationwide

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is leading a nationwide rollout of the Animal Identification and Traceability (ANITRAC) system, which assigns each registered animal a unique digital identity to enable full traceability from farm to market. The system aims to help Kenya's livestock sector access international meat markets, where buyers increasingly demand verifiable records of animal origin, movement history, and health status.

    17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

  2. CS Kagwe promotes digital livestock identification nationwide rollout

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has led a livestock sensitisation and tagging exercise in Tana River County to promote the Animal Identification and Traceability (ANITRAC) system, following the programme's national launch in Nyeri. Kagwe described ANITRAC as foundational to a modern livestock economy with unique digital identities for animals, enabling full traceability needed for access to international meat markets.

    17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Thursday 16 July

  1. Sugarcane farmers threaten protests over delayed board elections

    Kenya's sugarcane farmer groups have threatened nationwide protests and warned they could withdraw political support for President William Ruto in 2027 over claims of a coordinated scheme by government, sugar cartels and millers to obstruct Kenya Sugar Board director elections through court cases. A Kakamega High Court judge has scheduled further directions for July 31, 2026, prolonging the legal stalemate after elections initially planned for June 25 were delayed.

    16 July 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 8 July

  1. CS Kagwe warns on veterinary medicine misuse, meat market access

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned during the Kenya Meat Conference 2026 that misuse of veterinary medicines and antimicrobial resistance could endanger lives and lock Kenya out of international meat markets. He cited global estimates linking antimicrobial resistance to approximately 5.5 million annual deaths and noted that premium markets increasingly test imported animal products for antimicrobial residues.

    8 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 1 July

  1. CS Kagwe criticizes tariff escalation limiting African agricultural value-addition

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has urged African nations to confront the practice of tariff escalation, where developed markets allow low or zero duty on raw agricultural commodities but impose high tariffs on processed versions, arguing the practice discourages industrialisation, locks farmers into exporting cheap raw materials, and shifts manufacturing and jobs to foreign economies.

    1 July 2026 · Citizen Digital

Tuesday 30 June

  1. Global agricultural leaders meet in Nairobi to strengthen African food systems

    Agricultural leaders, policymakers, scientists, and farmers have gathered in Nairobi for DialogueNEXT in Africa, a World Food Prize Foundation summit aimed at accelerating agricultural innovation and addressing food security as Africa faces climate pressures and population growth projected to make the continent home to more than one in every four people globally by 2050.

    30 June 2026 · Capital News

  2. Africa food finance summit opens in Nairobi amid food insecurity

    More than 1,000 policymakers, financiers and industry leaders are gathering in Nairobi from June 30 to July 2 at the FINAS 2026 Summit to address a $100 billion annual financing gap in Africa's agriculture sector, as Kenyans face soaring food prices and rising hunger linked to climate shocks.

    30 June 2026 · The Standard

  3. AFC pursues wholesale lending to bridge Africa's agriculture finance gap

    Kenya's Agricultural Finance Corporation is using a wholesale lending model to extend bulk credit to intermediary institutions like SACCOs and cooperatives, which then on-lend to smallholder farmers, youth-led agribusinesses and women entrepreneurs. The model addresses an estimated $100 billion annual financing gap in African agriculture, where less than five per cent of commercial credit currently reaches smallholders who produce up to 80 per cent of the continent's food.

    30 June 2026 · The Standard

Saturday 27 June

  1. Kenya shifts dairy payment model to reward milk quality

    The government is shifting from quantity-based to quality-based payments for dairy farmers, rewarding milk based on protein and butterfat content to support value addition in the dairy sector. The transition will be gradual as milk-testing equipment is not yet available at all collection centres.

    27 June 2026 · The Standard

Friday 26 June

  1. CS Kagwe launches Quality Based Milk Payment scheme

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced a new Quality Based Milk Payment (QBMP) model to reward farmers based on milk quality rather than volume alone. The scheme aims to improve milk production and quality by encouraging better dairy management practices, including proper animal nutrition, disease control, and hygienic milking practices.

    26 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 24 June

  1. Five Kenyan women nominated for FAO's 100 Women Heroines

    Five Kenyan agricultural leaders—Paloma Fernandes, Jane Maigua, Zipporah Gitonga, Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, and Sheila Komen-Keino—have been nominated for the Food and Agriculture Organisation's 100 Women Heroines of 2026, a global initiative recognising women transforming agriculture and food security. The nominations recognise leaders in agribusiness, research, value addition and climate-resilient farming, announced under the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026.

    24 June 2026 · The Standard

Friday 19 June

  1. Kenya plans sugar factories to generate electricity and ethanol

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Kenya is accelerating plans to transform the sugar industry into a major power and biofuel producer, with the government pushing sugar factories to supply power to the national grid and expand ethanol production to reduce fuel imports and strengthen energy security.

    19 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 17 June

  1. CS Kagwe launches Ksh.1.47T agriculture modernisation initiative

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe launched the Kenya AgriConnect Compact (2025–2030), a Ksh.1.47 trillion partnership with the World Bank to modernise agriculture through technology, digitisation, and agritech platforms, with the government committing Ksh.492.5 billion and seeking Ksh.984.9 billion in private investment.

    17 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Friday 12 June

  1. Mutahi Kagwe tops Cabinet Secretary approval at 86 percent

    An Ipsos survey ranking Cabinet Secretaries on service delivery, leadership, accountability and policy implementation ranked Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe highest with 86 per cent approval, followed by Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi at 82 per cent and Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku at 79 per cent.

    12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Thursday 11 June

  1. Tea warehouses hold 10.5 million kg unsold since levy introduction

    Mombasa tea warehouses are holding 10,554,071 kilogrammes of made tea since the introduction of a Sh 2.28 per kilo levy for export, with east-of-rift factories accumulating 9,142,657 kgs and west-of-rift factories 1,141,414 kgs in the last five auctions between May 1 and June 2. Tea farmers have called on the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary to address the levy, citing concerns about industry collapse and a shift in buyer preference to teas from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

    11 June 2026 · The Standard

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Kagwe calls for global ban on hazardous agricultural chemicals

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has called for urgent global action to eliminate hazardous agricultural chemicals, warning that farmers in developing countries continue to be exposed to products banned elsewhere. Speaking at the World Farmers Organization Annual Meeting 2026 in Nairobi, Kagwe urged governments, regulators and industry players to end double standards in the regulation and distribution of agricultural inputs.

    10 June 2026 · The Standard

Tuesday 9 June

  1. Fertiliser subsidy allocation doubles to Sh18 billion in new budget

    The fertiliser subsidy programme receives Sh18 billion in the 2026-27 budget estimates, more than double its Sh8 billion allocation in the 2025-26 financial year, making it the biggest winner in the new budget.

    9 June 2026 · The Standard

  2. Tea levy of Sh2.28 per kilo worries East Rift farmers

    Tea volumes from Mt Kenya region factories have declined in the past three auctions as buyers shift to western Rift teas and alternative sources including Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The newly imposed tea levy at Sh2.28 (0.8 per cent) per kilo, which a senator claims was implemented illegally before parliamentary passage, is cited as a key challenge as the industry faces reduced market activity.

    9 June 2026 · The Standard

Monday 8 June

  1. CS Kagwe calls for global ban on hazardous farm chemicals

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, speaking at the 2026 World Farmers' Organisation General Assembly in Nairobi, called for urgent global action to eliminate hazardous agricultural chemicals and harmonise global standards, stating that farmers in developing countries continue to be exposed to substances banned in other countries due to health and environmental concerns.

    8 June 2026 · Citizen Digital

Friday 5 June

  1. Macadamia sector faces quality decline amid policy uncertainty

    Kenya's macadamia industry confronts its most difficult period in years, with stakeholders warning that problems extend beyond export-ban debates to include declining quality, poor farm management, pest infestations, and weak global markets. Industry players argue that policy shifts focused on export restrictions miss the underlying crisis of deteriorating nut quality and reduced profitability.

    5 June 2026 · The Standard

Saturday 30 May

  1. CBK banking rules structurally exclude smallholder farmers from credit

    Banking regulations assign a 100 per cent risk weight to smallholder and small agribusiness loans, the same as large corporate loans, despite evidence that farmers have lower default rates than other borrowers. This penalizes banks for lending to agriculture, leaving formal credit inaccessible to millions of farmers even though they are classified as lower-risk borrowers.

    30 May 2026 · The Standard

Thursday 21 May

  1. Agriculture CS calls for law banning raw produce exports

    Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe has called for the introduction of value addition for all Kenyan agricultural products before export, saying the move could create jobs for young people and reduce dependency on politicians for money.

    21 May 2026 · Citizen Digital

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Government cracks down on unregulated milk hawking, announces dairy reforms

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned that unregulated raw milk poses a public health risk and undermines Kenya's dairy industry, announcing a crackdown on milk hawking and rolling out 230 milk coolers worth KSh1.4B countrywide to strengthen organized collection systems, improve traceability, and support dairy cooperatives.

    20 May 2026 · Capital News

  2. Government launches crackdown on unregulated milk hawking networks

    Kenya's Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has declared that milk hawking must stop, calling the unregulated sale of raw milk a danger to public health and an obstacle to dairy industry growth. The government flagged off 25 bulk milk coolers as part of sector reforms aimed at ensuring milk is traceable, tested, and safe for consumers.

    20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital

Mutahi Kagwe — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute