MURANG'A COUNTY

Abstract and Main Features

The Murang’a County Agroecology Development Act is a strategic framework developed to promote sustainable agriculture, food security, and environmental conservation in Murang’a County, Kenya. This is also the first subnational government in Africa to both adopt and operationalize a County Agroecology Policy (2022-2032) and an Agroecology Development Act (2022). The Policy recognizes agriculture as the backbone of the county’s economy while addressing challenges such as land scarcity, climate change, declining productivity, poor markets, and environmental degradation. The Policy emphasizes agroecology as an applied science, integrating principles of biodiversity, soil health, regenerative and organic farming, and ecosystem conservation. Its objectives include enhancing productivity and household incomes, ensuring safe and nutritious food, reducing dependence on chemical inputs, and aligning local practices with national and international standards. Implemented over eight years, it aims to transform Murang’a County into a leader in sustainable agricultural production, climate resilience, and green economy growth, while also safeguarding its vital role as a water catchment area supporting Nairobi and beyond. 

Some of the main features of this Policy include: 

• Science-Based Policy Foundation: Defines agroecology as an applied science and explicitly links it to regenerative agriculture and systems thinking. 
• Complementary Transition Approach: Promotes agroecology alongside conventional farming, ensuring an inclusive, gradual, and evidence-informed transition. 
• Institutional Innovation: Establishes the Agroecology Development and Marketing Board to coordinate, regulate, and promote agroecological and organic agriculture initiatives. 
• Ecosystem and Catchment Conservation: Prioritizes the protection of rivers, forests, and natural ecosystems, reinforcing Murang’a County’s role as a critical water catchment area for Nairobi and surrounding regions. 
• Policy and Global Alignment: Ensures coherence with Kenya’s Constitution, Vision 2030, and global frameworks such as the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). 
• Digital Integration and Data Systems: Leverages GODAN, RAFT, and TIFS frameworks to promote evidence-based planning, data transparency, and financing for agroecological transformation. 

Objectives 

The overall goal of the Policy is to support the productivity and sustainability of agroecology production systems in Murang’a County. 

The five main objectives are: 

1. To support sustainable and participatory approaches to introduce agroecology production systems and practices in the county.  
2. To support increased awareness on health benefits to life and environment, prioritize marketing strategies, data/information and consumption for agroecology products in Murang’a County. 
3. To support increased productivity and income through collaboration with research, education institutions and technology integration of agroecology in conventional agriculture. 
4. To promote adoption of agroecological approaches for sustainable soil systems and agricultural practices in the county. 
5. To implement standards of production in the sub sector that are in line with both nationally and internationally set market standards. 

Key Target Groups  

This policy places particular emphasis on two key target groups: women and youth. Women constitute the majority of agricultural labor force, especially in food production, conservation, and household sanitation. Their role is central to ecosystem stewardship and community resilience. Accordingly, the policy adopts gender-responsive strategies that enhance women’s participation in decision-making and access to resources for sustainable agriculture. Youth, equally vital to the county’s agroecological transition, are prioritized for engagement in labor-intensive soil and water conservation, innovation, and agribusiness initiatives. By integrating women and youth as key actors, the policy advances inclusive and sustainable production systems while fostering economic empowerment and intergenerational continuity in agroecology. 

Expected Results 

The Policy is expected to deliver the following outcomes: 

• Formulation and operationalization of a comprehensive County Agroecology Policy and Strategic plan that integrates gender, youth, and energy considerations. This will be supported by an implementation framework and dedicated institutional structures to mainstream agroecology within county governance, planning and budgeting systems. 
• Widespread uptake of agroecological techniques such as agroforestry, composting, crop diversification, conservation tillage, ecological aquaculture, and silvopasture. These practices are expected to improve soil fertility, enhance water management, and support biodiversity conservation. 
• Deployment of Murang’a County’s data-driven systems to enable real-time tracking of key performance indicators, fostering transparency, accountability, and adaptive management. Integration of RAFT indicators will facilitate systematic monitoring of soil health, ecosystem integrity, and biodiversity recovery. 
• The FoodFarmacy and FarmHub platforms will enhance community nutrition, reduce postharvest losses, and improve market access by connecting smallholders directly to consumers through traceable, open-data systems. 
• Increased public understanding of the nutritional, health, and environmental benefits of agroecological farming, supported by evidence-based communication, ICT-enabled extension services, and participatory research. 
• Integration of soil and water conservation measures, ecosystem protection, and sustainable waste management approaches to promote climate resilience and ecological balance. 

Policy Development Process 

The Murang’a County Agroecology Policy was developed through a public and multistakeholder involvement encouraged by a strong bottom-up approach. Public participation was given emphasis in identifying community priorities and needs while technical support was offered by the Institute for Culture and Ecology (ICE) and a technical working group. Consensus was therefore a key element of this Policy, and it is ensured across all stages through strong encouragement by the authorities to involve as many stakeholders as possible. 

Ministries and Stakeholders Involved in the Process 

• The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. 
• The Department of Agriculture of the Murang’a County Government.
• Kenya Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN). 
• Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Organization (KARLO). 
• Certifying bodies: E-Cert, En Cert and Nesvax and Control Union. 
• Institute for Culture and Ecology (ICE). 
• Participatory Ecological and Land Use Intensification (PELUM) Kenya. 
• Other value chain actors. 
• CSOs: Nairobi Water Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Kenya Institute of Organic Farming. 
• Farmers of Murang’a County. 

Implementation 

The implementation of the policy is grounded in partnerships and multistakeholder collaboration for inclusivity, including collaborators like: ICE, PELUM Kenya, KOAN, Organic Agriculture Center Knowledge (OACK), The Nature Conservancy, Nairobi Water Fund, SNV, WorldVeg, KALRO, and Murang’a University of Technology. These institutions provide expertise in sustainable agriculture, certification, market development, research, and ecosystem restoration. Overall implementation however is managed through two complementary structures: 

• The Organic Farming and Agroecology Desk, which coordinates efforts. 
• The Multistakeholder Platform (AE-MSP), comprising technical partners for coherence and accountability. 

Three interlinked frameworks ensure rigor, sustainability, and traceability: 

• Regenerative and agroecological food systems transformation(RAFT) – Science-based planning, monitoring, and ecosystem regeneration. 
• Transformational Investingin Food Systems (TIFS) – Mobilizes blended finance and partnerships for youth- and women-led enterprises. 
• Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition(GODAN) – Supports digital infrastructure and real-time monitoring. 

The integration of tools like FoodFarmacy and FarmHub ensures traceable value chains, improved nutrition, and equitable market access. Collectively, Murang’a County’s model fosters data-driven accountability, climate resilience, and positions the county as a hub for regenerative, digitally enabled agroecology. 

Responsibilities of the Organic Farming Unit and Agroecology Development and Marketing Board: 

• Ensure compliance with approved organic and agroecological standards for all inputs supplied to farmers. 
• Provide training, extension services, and infrastructure to enable on-farm production of organic inputs. 
• Implement programs and incentives for organic and agroecological growers, including access to affordable, quality seeds and planting materials, and market linkage support and technical backstopping. 
• Register and promote Murang’a County’s agroecological and organic products through recognized certification systems and geographical indications to ensure traceability. 
• Conduct market intelligence and data collection to inform decision-making and investment targeting. 
• Promote local, national, and international marketing of Murang’a County’s agroecological products. 
• Collaborate with development and private sector partners to attract and manage investment in organic and regenerative agriculture. 

Responsibilities of the County Government: 

• Strengthen agricultural practices through research, innovation, and capacity building in organic and agroecological farming. 
• Integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation into all agricultural planning and investment efforts. 
• Support value addition and cottage industries to process organic produce while maintaining product integrity. 
• Collaborate with the Agroecology Development Marketing Board to develop and sustain an input supply system for organic fertilizers, bio-inputs, and quality planting materials. 
• Allocate and manage funds for subsidies and economic incentives for organic and agroecological farmers. 
• Annual trade fairs to promote and exhibit Murang’a County’s certified agroecological and organic products. 

Budget and Funding 

No estimated budget was publicly shared for the implementation of this policy.  

However, funding is expected to be leveraged from available resources including:  

• Public Investment: mainly through annual allocation via the County Government Departments of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Environment and Climate Change, as well as cross-departmental budget contributions from Health and Nutrition, Trade, Youth Affairs, and Planning. 
• Public Benefits Organizations (PBOs). 
• Private Investment. 
• Private Sector and blended finance mechanisms. 
• Development Partners. 
• Earmarking at least ten percent of the agriculture sector budget to promote organic and agroecological farming consistent with the 2015 Malabo Declaration commitment to allocate 10% of public expenditure to agriculture. 
• Leveraging county climate funds, including the County Climate Change Fund (CCCF) and the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, to support climate-resilient and regenerative farming initiatives. 
• Youth and women enterprise financing through catalytic grants, concessional loans, and cooperative revolving funds. 

To streamline financing and accountability, a County Agroecology Fund will be established under the Agroecology Development and Marketing Board. This fund will coordinate financial flows, monitor performance, and facilitate transparent reporting. 

N.B. This summary was reviewed by the Department of Agriculture of the Murang’a County Government

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Image Credit: PELUM Kenya