In August 2025, the Kenyan government formally adopted its Kenya Fertilizer and Soil Health (KFSH) Action Plan 2026–2035. The Action Plan was developed through a technical working group, bringing together the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the Fertilizer Association of Kenya, civil society representatives, and development partners. IFDC has served on this technical working group since 2024 at the request of the government.
The development of the KFSH Action Plan is part of several countries’ efforts to domesticate the 10-year Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Action Plan, an outcome of the AFSH Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2024. During the summit, African leaders made the commitment to restore soil health and transform agriculture across the continent through the landmark Nairobi Declaration, and the Action Plan serves as the roadmap to achieve this. The AFSH Action Plan was designed to foster multi-stakeholder partnerships and investments to strengthen policies, finance, research and development, markets, and capacity building for fertilizer and sustainable soil health management.
By laying out a clear roadmap for reversing soil degradation and promoting sustainable soil fertility management, the Action Plan positions Kenya to make significant strides toward food security and agricultural transformation.
To deliver on this continental vision, countries have been working to tailor the AFSH Action Plan to their national contexts. The clear and pressing goal of these national action plans is to reverse soil degradation, increase fertilizer use efficiency, accelerate inclusive agricultural transformation, and contribute to ending hunger, malnutrition, and poverty across Africa.
IFDC’s mandate within this technical working group has been critical. The organization has provided technical expertise on fertilizer and soil health, raised awareness of Kenya’s soil fertility challenges, facilitated consultations among diverse stakeholders, reviewed and refined the national fertilizer and soil health agenda, addressed technical issues related to implementation, and oversaw the drafting of the national Action Plan.
The KFSH Action Plan seeks to strengthen soil health, enhance agricultural productivity, and improve market linkages in order to achieve sustainable agricultural development in Kenya by 2035. The plan is firmly anchored in Kenya’s Agricultural Soil Management Policy (2023) and emphasizes responsible fertilizer use, mandatory soil testing, and region-specific agronomic advice. Its vision is to create a future where Kenyan farmers have access to context-specific, affordable, and sustainable inputs that will help to alleviate hunger, malnutrition, and poverty while conserving natural resources.
IFDC has been instrumental in driving forward the consultations that led to the development of this national plan. The process began in September 2024, when Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, in partnership IFDC and other development organizations, supported the first technical meeting in Machakos. During this three-day session, a draft of the KFSH Action Plan 2026–2035 was completed. The draft was then subjected to rigorous validation processes, beginning with workshops in March 2025 that engaged civil society and private sector actors to ensure inclusivity and broad-based ownership of the plan.
Partners convened once again July 23-25, 2025, to work on budgeting for the Action Plan. During this workshop, Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Agriculture, emphasized that the KFSH Action Plan is a direct response to the continental agenda adopted in Nairobi. He noted that the Action Plan provides practical solutions to soil degradation, promotes efficient and responsible fertilizer use, and prioritizes the long-term productivity of Kenya’s agricultural systems.
The technical working group finalized the budgeting exercise and formally adopted the plan in August 2025.
IFDC is represented in the group by Bridget Okumu, Country Director of Kenya, and Dr. Caroline Agamala, Senior Soil Scientist, both of whom have been integral in ensuring technical quality and inclusivity throughout the process.
The adoption of the KFSH Action Plan 2026-2035 marks a historic milestone in Kenya’s agricultural journey. By laying out a clear roadmap for reversing soil degradation and promoting sustainable soil fertility management, the Action Plan positions Kenya to make significant strides toward food security and agricultural transformation.
Through its leadership role and technical expertise, IFDC is proud to collaborate with the government and other partners in shaping this critical agenda, reaffirming its commitment to building resilient farming systems and securing a sustainable future for millions of Kenyan farmers.
