Heifer P4C program focuses on high impact value chain

Wangari Ndirangu-KNA

The government is developing a climate-smart livestock master plan to ensure provision of accurate data and information on livestock resources.

The plan will also provide available environmentally friendly investment options to guide the development of a sustainable livestock sector to attract more and better targeted investments.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Livestock Policy Research at the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Christopher Wanga said over 80 per cent of Kenya is arid or semi-arid (ASAL).

Here, the livestock sector is an integral part of the agricultural sector and plays a key role in supporting livelihoods, generating income, contributing to healthy diets and climate resilience in these and other rain-fed areas.

“Agricultural transformation is not a sprint; it is a decades-long journey that requires us to modernize on-farm production, integrate value addition, and create systems that are both productive and resilient, and this transformation is not optional but essential,” Kagwe said during the launch of Heifer International Kenya's Practice for Change (P4C) Signature Program.

The CS lauded Heifer International’s Kenya Practice for Change (P4C) Signature Program, which is estimated to inject Sh12.4 billion (USD 95.7 million) into the country’s economy, saying it is coming at a critical time for Kenya's agricultural transformation journey.

Kagwe called on Heifer International to align its work in the country with Kenya’s vision for sustainable agriculture transformation and galvanize increased support for Heifer Kenya.

If implemented well, the Practice for Change (P4C) Program framework, Kagwe said, will support the transformation of Kenya’s agricultural sector and uplift the lives of smallholder farmers and termed the event as more than just a program launch, but a call to action.

Surita Sandosham, the President and the Chief Executive Officer of Heifer International, said the long-term program collaborative initiative is designed to support 625,000 farming households across 26 counties in achieving a sustainable living income by 2030.

The program, she added, is a commitment to inclusive rural development built on the strength and potential of Kenya’s farmers, especially women and young people, and at its core, P4C is about creating opportunities that are locally driven, market-oriented and sustainable.

“P4C takes a systems approach to market development. It targets key agricultural value chains—poultry, dairy, red meat, and horticulture, and invests in building the capacity of farmer organizations, improving productivity, increasing profitability, and opening access to a sustainable market,” Sandosham said.

The President said the investment is expected to be mobilized through a combination of Heifer’s resources, catalytic capital, and co-managed funds with donors and public institutions.

“We will be working alongside national and county governments, farmer cooperatives, development partners, and private enterprises to achieve shared outcomes,” Sandosham said.

Clarice Bugo-Kionge, Heifer International, Country Director – Kenya, said Heifer International has been a steadfast partner in Kenya’s agriculture with a focus on dairy development.

“We have pioneered the cow to capital approach, a model that has evolved from simply providing livestock to creating comprehensive value chains that empower smallholder farmers to become successful agri-entrepreneurs, and this approach has seen families transition from subsistence farming to sustainable businesses that generate living incomes,” Bugo said.

“Across various programs in four value chains, namely beef/cattle, dairy, horticulture and poultry, we have recorded over three million active household participants to date,” she added.