Kenya to benefit from Australia's Ksh.9 billion invest in Africa's climate-resilient agriculture

The money will go into the production of adaptable seeds, irrigation, and mitigation of climate change-related adversaries across the continent.

Speaking when she met Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said her country was determined to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“We are investing 75 Million US to improve food production in the African continent to ensure that people are not adversely affected by climate change,” said Ms Wong.

Mudavadi noted that Kenya was among countries affected by climate change and had in the last year experienced extreme conditions that had resulted in billions of losses during the worst drought and floods.

He noted that there was a need to improve seed propagation to ensure that farmers increase their income through agriculture.

“We in Kenya have in 12 months experienced a harsh drought that led to the loss of livestock and food in the farms, and later was hit by the worst floods that caused paralysis, destroyed infrastructure, and occasioned the delay in the opening of schools,” said Mudavadi.     

During the bilateral talks, Mudavadi encouraged Australian investors to venture into a variety of opportunities in Kenya including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, housing, and hospitality. 

In return, the Prime Cabinet Secretary urged Australia, which is home to 50,000 Kenyans pursuing education, employment, and investment, to relax their visa regulations for Kenya to enable more of the hard-working nationals to harness their education, and labour market.

“During the bilateral talks, we discussed issues touching on mutual interest including mining, climate resilience agriculture, education, skilled and unskilled labour, and labour migration.

“I also encouraged Australian investors to venture into a variety of opportunities in Kenya including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, housing, and hospitality,” said Mudavadi. 

Mudavadi was accompanied by Dr, Wilson Kogo, Kenyan Ambassador to Australia and Pacific and the deputy head of Mission Fred Eshikuta