By Ng’wono Bwo’Otwere
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced sweeping reforms aimed at opening up thousands of acres of public land for large-scale farming.
The move has been described as the most ambitious agricultural transformation drive in Kenya’s history.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, Kagwe confirmed that Galana Kulalu has officially been gazetted as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a move he said would “turn the region into a global magnet for agri-investment.”
The new status gives investors access to tax incentives, fast-tracked approvals, and improved infrastructure to support large-scale ventures ranging from edible oil production and cereals to livestock and horticulture.
Kagwe said the reforms are driven by a simple premise — Kenya cannot continue importing food while vast public land sits idle.
As part of this shift, the government is expanding the Land Commercialization Initiative (LCI) to include idle parcels owned by counties, prison farms and other state institutions.
“Every county must put forward land that can be productive,” he said.
“We will work with serious investors to unlock its value.”
To cut the bureaucracy that has long frustrated investors, the Ministry has established a One-Stop LCI Office that brings all approvals under one roof.
According to the CS, the new system will allow investors to secure agricultural land within 30 days, making Kenya “one of the most competitive agri-investment destinations on the continent.”
Kagwe highlighted the Nyumba Group as an example of what streamlined processes can achieve.
The company, which was allocated 300,000 acres, has already invested more than USD 50 million in irrigation systems, dams and land development, opening up over 20,000 acres for food and edible oil crops while creating more than 3,000 jobs at the Coast.
Overall, the Ministry is currently leasing 1.8 million acres to private players under the LCI — the biggest coordinated land commercialization effort ever undertaken in Kenya.
Kagwe said the government’s focus is now firmly on productivity, efficiency and partnerships that can secure the country’s food future.
“The era of idle land is over,” he declared.
“We are building a results-driven land strategy that will create jobs, attract investment and drive Kenya’s agricultural growth for generations.”
