Siaya County deploys 150 youth Agripreneurs in push for commercial farming

The county government on Tuesday unveiled 150 young agripreneurs who will support agricultural extension services and farmer outreach at the grassroots under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).

The youth, who were officially sworn in during the NAVCDP Day celebrations in Siaya, are expected to work closely with farmers across the county to improve access to farming information, modern production techniques and market linkages.

Speaking during the event, Siaya Governor James Orengo said agriculture remains central to the county’s economy and can drive broad-based economic transformation if approached as a strategic enterprise rather than a survival activity.

“It is an important moment for reflection on whether agriculture can truly become the foundation of broad-based economic transformation in our county. My answer is yes — but only if we move from viewing agriculture as a subsistence activity to recognizing it as a strategic economic sector driven by productivity, enterprise, resilience and markets,” said Orengo.

The governor noted that agriculture contributes nearly 60 percent of Siaya’s Gross County Product, generating an estimated KSh9.2 billion annually.

County officials say the deployment of young agripreneurs is aimed at strengthening extension services that have for years faced challenges including inadequate personnel, limited farmer outreach and slow adoption of modern farming practices.

The county is also investing in farmer institutions and infrastructure to support commercialization of agriculture. During the event, Governor Orengo presided over the issuance of cheques to cooperative societies, SACCOs and Farmer Producer Organizations to improve access to affordable financing and strengthen market coordination.

Siaya has already onboarded 30 SACCOs and 13 Farmer Producer Organizations under the programme, while inclusion grants exceeding KSh25 million have been disbursed to support governance and financial inclusion among farming groups.

The county government says it is leveraging its fertile soils, reliable rainfall patterns and resources from Lake Victoria to increase agricultural productivity through irrigation, value addition and improved farmer organization.

Among the flagship projects highlighted during the event is the Siriwo Rice Mill paddy curing and storage facility valued at more than KSh40 million, alongside the Kogonga-Kayundi Irrigation Project worth over KSh29 million.

“These investments are not isolated interventions. They are part of a deliberate strategy to build a modern, resilient and commercially viable agricultural economy,” Orengo said.

Siaya County Chief Officer for Agriculture Elizabeth Adongo said the county is also implementing soil intelligence mapping through the collection of about 2,600 soil samples across all wards to improve fertilizer use efficiency and crop productivity.

Adongo emphasized the need for counties to shift focus beyond production to building stronger market systems and value addition chains.

“Production without markets creates vulnerability. Production without value addition limits income. That is why we must emphasize organization, enterprise and market systems,” she said.

The county government says it will continue partnering with the national government, development agencies and private sector players to expand irrigation, strengthen agro-processing and increase youth and women participation in agribusiness.