NAIROBI, Kenya, June 9 – Farmers and policymakers attending the World Farmers’ Organisation meeting in Nairobi have called for urgent reforms to improve access to markets, affordable financing and resilient food systems, warning that persistent inequalities continue to undermine global food security.
Speaking during the forum, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said agricultural policies have traditionally focused on inputs such as technology, financing and markets while overlooking farmers as the central drivers of food production.
He argued that structural inequalities, particularly in access to subsidies and affordable credit, continue to place farmers in developing countries at a disadvantage.
“Without an economically empowered farmer, there can be no food security. Without financial support to farmers, there can be no sustainable systems,” Kagwe said.
The CS noted that addressing financing challenges and ensuring fair returns for farmers would be critical to building sustainable and resilient food systems.
Meanwhile, Kaburu M’Ribu, National Chairman of the Kenya National Farmers Federation, urged governments and development partners to support the growth of commercially viable farmer organizations to strengthen bargaining power and improve access to structured markets.
According to M’Ribu, food security targets cannot be achieved without affordable financing, digital technologies and climate-smart farming practices.
“Affordable finance and functioning markets are critical. If food security is our goal, farmers must have the tools and resources to succeed,” he said.
He added that stronger cooperatives and producer organizations would help farmers secure better prices, capture greater value from agricultural value chains and reduce exposure to market volatility.
“Food security begins at the farm. We must form commercially viable cooperatives and deploy emerging technologies inclusively,” he said.
Delegates at the conference also highlighted persistent gaps in agricultural financing, noting that many lending models remain poorly aligned with farming cycles and the unique risks associated with agriculture.
Participants further called for greater harmonisation of global standards governing agricultural chemicals, arguing that regulatory differences continue to create trade barriers and expose farmers in developing economies to higher production risks.
The four-day forum, running from June 8 to 11 in Nairobi, has brought together policymakers, farmer organisations and development partners to discuss strategies for boosting productivity, climate adaptation and fair valuation of agricultural produce.
The meeting is expected to conclude with policy recommendations aimed at improving market access for smallholder farmers, strengthening agricultural financing systems and enhancing global cooperation on sustainable food systems.
