Government support continues to play a central role in shaping agricultural productivity in Kenya, with farmers overwhelmingly pointing to input subsidies and seed provision as the most impactful interventions.
According to the Central Bank of Kenya’s Agriculture Sector Survey conducted in September and November 2025, subsidised fertiliser remains the most influential government measure, cited by 79 per cent of respondents in September and rising to 83 per cent in November.
The provision of certified seeds also gained prominence, with approval increasing sharply from 37 per cent to 54 per cent over the same period. This suggests growing confidence among farmers in the quality and availability of government-backed inputs, particularly as planting seasons approach.
Extension services recorded notable growth as well, nearly doubling from 16 per cent to 31 per cent, highlighting the increasing importance of technical guidance, training, and advisory support in improving farm productivity.
Value addition initiatives, though still cited by a smaller share of farmers, rose modestly from 11 per cent to 16 per cent, reflecting gradual awareness of post-harvest processing and market-oriented farming.
Other interventions such as commodity price support, water supply, and tractor services showed incremental gains, though tractor services remained stagnant at 7 per cent, underscoring persistent challenges in mechanisation access.
Water supply support rose from 12 per cent to 25 per cent, pointing to heightened concern over climate variability and irrigation needs.