Embarking on an ambitious and bold journey, Kenya has decided to attempt to tackle one of its biggest threats to food security. Massive post-harvest losses, even at a time when humanitarian aid is severely declining and climate-related shocks are on the rise. With an estimation of KES 72 billion (about US$578 million) regarding food losses, development partners, policymakers, and private sector stakeholders are working towards transforming how food is handled, stored, and also used across the entire country’s agricultural value chains.
According to a recent study published by the World Resources Institute (WRI) Africa, Kenya loses up to 40% of food produced, including staple cereals such as maize, fruits, potatoes, and fish, before it even reaches consumers. These losses take place at multiple stages, such as from poor on-farm handling and inadequate storage to inefficient transport and limited market integration. One can identify how this wastage not only robs farmers of their wages but also directly feeds national food insecurity at a time when an estimated 15 million Kenyans, nearly 28% of the population, are facing food shortages daily.
The height of this problem has triggered a new national push to rapidly reduce food loss and waste. While this measure is aimed at boosting Kenya’s resilience amidst a changing climate, it supports small farmholders by stabilising food prices and creating economic opportunity. Government officials, including Investment, Trade, and Industry Principal Secretary Dr. Juma Mukhwana, have emphasised the critical need to have food systems modernised. They say the initiative represents a departure from Kenya’s traditional cycle of surplus and scarcity tied to mostly seasonal rains.
One can identify that the focus of this strategy is more about stronger post-harvest management. As examples, one could take improved storage facilities, modern cold-chain infrastructure, drying and processing technologies, and better logistics to connect producers with markets. Experts have begun to argue that these improvements would reduce wastage and generate value-added products, creating opportunities for farmers to capture higher prices and also improve their own incomes. Mukhwana has emphasised that the transition will also expand Kenya’s export capacity to regional and international markets, including even East Africa and Europe, by improving quality and reducing spoilage.
A highlight, as well as a key element of the new agenda, is international collaboration. Deepening its partnership with Sweden through a Kenya-Sweden Bioeconomy initiative, Kenya is drawing on Swedish expertise in sustainable bioeconomy and agriculture solutions.
Swedish Ambassador Håkan Åkesson stated that the Kenya-Sweden cooperation builds on over six decades of collaboration and now emphasises innovations to accelerate Kenya’s food transformation. The partnership has been made to promote ventures in processing, packaging, storage, and biotechnology, offering potential benefits for African innovators and even small and medium enterprises.
This initiative also addresses broader development and climate issues. While humanitarian aid for 2026 has dropped down severely, the United Nations has appealed for a cut to about US$23 billion, half of the original request, and local solutions have been very apparent about its urgency.
Aid agencies, however, warn that funding shortfalls may force focus on only the most urgent crises, leaving gaps in food system support and rural resilience. Reducing food loss offers multiple benefits: it increases food availability, eases pressure on scarce resources like water and land, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Analysts estimate that halving food loss could feed millions more annually while adding billions of shillings to rural economies. Policy reform, monitoring, and cross-sector coordination are essential, while organisations like TechnoServe redirect surplus produce to underserved markets. Harnessing domestic innovation and sustainable practices is critical for a resilient, climate-smart food system.
