Mutahi Kagwe Promises to Revitalize Farming for Youth

Mutahi Kagwe, the nominee for Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, pledged on Tuesday to transform farming into an appealing venture for Kenyan youth, a sector he termed “boring” in its current state. Speaking before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments at Parliament buildings, Kagwe emphasized the need to integrate modern technologies, such as financial technology (fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI), into agricultural training programs.

“Agriculture needs to be made cool to attract young people,” Kagwe stated, expressing his commitment to partner with the Ministry of Education to overhaul the training curriculum for agriculture students.

He also highlighted plans to collaborate with various ministries to enhance farmers’ profitability and improve communication strategies to address misinformation surrounding government initiatives. This comes in light of recent criticism regarding the government’s mass livestock vaccination campaign, which has faced backlash from the public and local organizations. Kagwe noted that President William Ruto and other officials have attributed much of the negative sentiment to disinformation.

“I intend to leverage social media, where misinformation is rampant, and work with the media to ensure accurate information reaches Kenyans,” he said, referencing his successful communication efforts as Health Cabinet Secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kagwe holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce (insurance) from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from the United States International University. His previous roles include serving as Health Cabinet Secretary under former President Uhuru Kenyatta and as Minister for Information Communication and Technology during Mwai Kibaki’s administration. He was also the first senator for Nyeri County from 2013 to 2017.

If confirmed, Kagwe will succeed Andrew Karanja, who has been nominated as Kenya’s ambassador to Brazil.