Kenya signs Sh11 billion deals with EU to fund growth plans
What you need to know:
- The government will use Sh5.3 billion to support productive, adapted and market integrated smallholder agriculture in Kenya.
- A further Sh3.6 billion will be used in the programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery, while Sh2.1 billion will go towards the Ending Drought Emergencies Strategy.
Kenya signed finance agreements with the European Union worth Sh11 billion on the sidelines of the ongoing African Caribbean Pacific and EU (ACP-EU) parliamentary conference.
The government will use Sh5.3 billion to support productive, adapted and market integrated smallholder agriculture in Kenya.
A further Sh3.6 billion will be used in the programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery, while Sh2.1 billion will go towards the Ending Drought Emergencies Strategy.
The strategy is the government’s commitment to end suffering because of drought by 2022. The plan was developed jointly with development partners and focuses on the 23 most-prone counties in Kenya.
President Uhuru Kenyatta witnessed the signing of the agreements.
Treasury secretary Henry Rotich signed on behalf of the Kenyan government while the EU Commissioner in charge of International Co-operation and Development Neven Mimica signed on behalf of the bloc.
The proposed programme will also promote the establishment of public private community partnerships to increase the role of the private sector in construction and management of water supply services.
The Sh5.3 billion financing programme builds on the ongoing 10th EDF Kenya Rural Development Programme and the standards and market access programme.
It is aimed at supporting smallholder productivity and resilience, agricultural research and services, food quality and safety. The EDF grant support will target provision of water services and capacity building.
