Nyeri: Persons interested in working as agripreneurs in Nyeri County have until February 17, 2026, to submit their applications for consideration. The recruitment is part of a joint venture between the National Government and devolved units, conducted across 46 counties through the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
According to Kenya News Agency, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Aquaculture Development in Nyeri aims to recruit at least five qualified agripreneurs in each of the 40 wards. Interested candidates are required to submit their applications via the online link https://apeoi.kalro.org, as detailed in an advert on the County Government Facebook page. The advert emphasizes the agripreneurs’ role in enhancing last-mile agricultural extension service delivery.
To be eligible for the position, applicants must possess a post-secondary certificate in fields such as agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, livestock production, range management, or agricultural economics. Candidates should be between 18 to 35 years old, digitally literate, knowledgeable in the local dialect, and residents of the ward from which they are applying. Other requirements include proficiency in English and Kiswahili and a willingness to work full-time.
The Government of Kenya, supported by the World Bank through NAVCDP and the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP), launched this six-year program in 2016. The initiative aims to enhance food security and strengthen food systems resilience in the country by building agricultural capacity, managing natural resources, improving market access, and implementing policy changes to address climate-related food crises.
In January 2024, Nyeri launched a Sh500 million agriculture improvement program under NAVCDP to increase market participation by 100,000 farmers. The World Bank was expected to invest Sh20 million over five years to implement the program. During the launch, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga highlighted the focus on five priority value chains: coffee, banana, avocado, Irish potatoes, and dairy farming. The project builds on the successes of the National Agriculture and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) and the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP), transitioning small-scale farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
At the program’s inception, 134,358 farmers were selected for training. Governor Kahiga noted the positive changes brought by NARIGP and KCSAP, particularly for milk farmers in Mukurwe-ini and farmers in Kieni, where barren lands were transformed. The NAVCDP aims to increase market participation and value addition for targeted farmers in select value chains.
The Department of Agriculture plans to champion effective water use by developing water-efficient irrigation systems and establishing water harvesting projects. Additionally, it aims to strengthen the county’s drought adaptation capacity and climate resilience through the provision of climate-resilient-certified seeds. The project will also expand investments in food production, community-led farmer extension, and water management, while scaling up value addition and creating market linkages with agribusiness off-takers and SMEs. It will enhance access to credit for participating farmers, as stated by Governor Kahiga.
