Experts call for translation of agricultural research into farm-level solutions

Kenya’s agriculture sector holds immense promise but continues to face critical challenges that demand urgent action, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has said.

In a speech read on his behalf by the State Department for Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh during the opening of the second KALRO Scientific Conference and Innovation Expo 2026, the CS said that Kenya remains a regional breadbasket, producing globally competitive tea, coffee, horticulture, and livestock.

However, he added that the country still imports food it can produce locally, while smallholder farmers continue to earn low returns and significant post-harvest losses persist.

Kagwe said that the Ministry is investing in irrigation, strengthening extension services, addressing fertilizer supply challenges, and improving market systems to support farmers.

He praised the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) for developing climate-resilient seeds, livestock health solutions, soil restoration technologies, digital farming tools, and value-added innovations that are transforming agricultural productivity.

“We urge faster commercialization of research to ensure innovations reach farmers at scale rather than remaining in laboratories or journals,” he said, stressing that climate-smart agriculture must also move beyond discussion to become fully embedded in policy, budgeting, and extension services.

He emphasized the importance of investing in young scientists and women in agriculture, noting their critical role in boosting productivity, innovation, and community resilience.

“We envision a future where Kenya achieves full food security, supports empowered smallholder farmers with access to inputs, markets, and technology, and becomes a net food exporter in the region”, Kagwe said, urging development partners, county governments, and the private sector to deepen collaboration in building resilience in food systems.

Dr. Patrick Ketiem, Director General, KALRO, said Kenya’s agricultural research agenda is shifting focus toward faster delivery of innovations to farmers.

He emphasized that while significant progress has been made in recent years, the key challenge remains turning research outputs into measurable impact in the field.

Over the past three years, he noted that KALRO and its partners have released new crop and livestock technologies developed for local conditions, expanded soil fertility mapping to guide planting decisions, and strengthened disease surveillance systems to protect livestock, an essential source of livelihood for millions of households.

The organization, he added, has also improved access to extension services by producing materials in local languages while deepening collaboration with county governments, universities, and international research institutions.

“Despite these gains, progress in research does not automatically translate into impact, and therefore there is a need to close the gap between laboratory innovations and what farmers actually experience on the ground,” said Dr. Ketiem.

KALRO Chairman Board of Directors Dr. Thuo Mathenge said that climate variability is reshaping the conditions under which farmers work. Global food systems remain fragile.

“The pressure on land, water, and natural resources is intensifying. And yet, within these pressures lies the greatest invitation science has ever received to be relevant, to be transformative, and to be bold,” he added.

Dr. Thuo said KALRO’s mandate is to generate and promote the use of improved technologies in agriculture and livestock, and it is not an academic exercise; it should, however, be a national obligation.

“Every research publication, every improved variety, every technology transferred to a farmer is a contribution to the food security, livelihoods, and economic dignity of millions of Kenyans,” Dr. Thuo said.

The conference, themed “Innovations for Sustainable Agrifood Systems, Climate Change Resilience and Improved Livelihoods,” concluded with a call for stronger innovation, faster scaling of solutions, and deeper collaboration to transform Kenya’s agriculture sector.

By Wangari Ndirangu