Harvesting Equality: NGEC Champions Inclusive AgriFutures at CABI Regional Meet

Empowering marginalised voices in agriculture for a safe, inclusive, and sustainable Kenya

In a bold stride towards inclusive national development, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has reiterated its call for equitable participation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in Kenya’s agriculture sector, spotlighting systemic inequality and calling for transformative policy action.

Speaking during the CABI Africa Regional Consultation held in Nakuru under the theme “Working in Partnership for a Safe and Sustainable Future”, NGEC officials underscored the urgency of embedding inclusivity into agricultural innovation, warning that continued exclusion of vulnerable populations undermines both equity and national food security.

“More than 65% of Kenya’s rural population depends on agriculture, yet women, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, and marginalised communities remain largely side-lined in critical agripolicy conversations,” said Lewis Mwaniki, representing NGEC’s Nakuru Regional Office. “We cannot talk about sustainability without inclusivity.”

Despite progressive laws and policy frameworks, disparities persist. Women, who comprise over 70% of the agricultural labour force, own less than 5% of land. Youth, representing 75% of Kenya’s population, face chronic unemployment, limited capital access, and outdated farming training. Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) often face physical and informational barriers, while older persons, minority groups, and indigenous communities are routinely excluded from extension services and innovation dialogues. At the CABI consultation, the Commission presented evidencebased findings from its latest audits on gender and social inclusion in agricultural policy frameworks across Kenya’s counties.

The Commission used the forum to amplify its message to policymakers, development partners, and researchers: Inclusivity must not be an afterthought. It must be designed into every level of agricultural innovation—from research and funding models to extension services and trade policies.

NGEC further proposed that all agricultural research frameworks incorporate sex-disaggregated and disability-sensitive data. In addition, the Commission urged county governments to align their agricultural budgeting processes with the values of Article 10 of the Constitution: human dignity, equity, inclusiveness, equality, nondiscrimination, and protection of the marginalised.

Participants pose for a group photograph during the CABI Africa Regional Consultation meeting