Kenya Unveils Draft Agricultural Data and Digital Policy to Transform Farming Sector

Kenya has released the Draft Kenya Agricultural Data, Information and Digital Policy (March 2026), a comprehensive framework aimed at transforming the agricultural sector through integrated digital systems, improved data governance, and innovation-driven farming practices.

The policy seeks to move the country away from fragmented digital agricultural initiatives toward a unified national ecosystem. A key component of the plan is the establishment of the Kenya Agricultural Digital Information Centre (KADIC), which will serve as the central institution responsible for coordinating digital agriculture programmes, managing sector-wide data, and driving innovation.

The framework also aims to address long-standing challenges of poor interoperability among existing platforms. It proposes a unified digital agricultural architecture that will streamline systems and ensure seamless data exchange across public and private sector platforms.

Building on the Kenya Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (KIAMIS), which already contains data on over 7.2 million registered farmers as of 2026, the policy promotes the expansion of data-driven agriculture. It encourages the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, drones, and blockchain to enhance productivity, traceability, and decision-making on farms.

A strong emphasis is placed on digital public infrastructure, including farmer registries and standardized data exchange systems, to enable private sector participation in delivering scalable services such as digital credit, insurance, and e-voucher solutions.

The policy is also designed to be farmer-centric, with provisions for personalized digital advisory services that provide climate-smart guidance and real-time market information. It further supports financial inclusion by encouraging the development of digital financial products tailored to smallholder farmers.

To bridge the digital divide, the framework prioritizes women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities by addressing barriers such as high device costs and limited digital literacy. It also calls for the integration of ICT and data literacy into agricultural training systems for farmers and extension officers.

On governance and security, the policy aligns with Kenya’s Data Protection Act (2019), ensuring that farmer data is safeguarded through strict privacy and cybersecurity measures. It also introduces interoperability standards to regulate data ownership and sharing, enabling different systems such as land, finance, and market platforms to communicate effectively.

Overall, the draft policy represents a major step toward building a modern, data-driven, and inclusive agricultural sector in Kenya.