This section presents strategic perspectives on advancing sustainable growth in developing countries by encouraging stronger engagement with the private sector. It introduces practical approaches and partnerships that contribute to job creation, expanded access to infrastructure, and the development of future-oriented industries. Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, this section aims to highlight how inclusive engagement with private actors can complement national development goals and support resilient, self-sustaining economic progress.
Compiled by: Kyoungshin Kim, KGGTF Consultant
“From One Million to Four Million Farmers”
How Korea’s Partnership and Digital Tools Are Transforming Agriculture in Kenya
(KGGTF Grant: Leveraging Digital Technologies for Scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture in Kenya)
A Digital Revolution in Kenya’s Fields
In rural Kenya, farmers once depended on guesswork and uncertain rainfall. Today, they check weather forecasts, soil data, and market prices on their phones before planting. What began as a small pilot, the One Million Farmer Platform (OMFP), is now transforming into a national digital agriculture system expected to reach four million farmers by 2026, under the World Bank–financed National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
This transformation is helping farmers adapt to climate change, increase productivity, and improve their livelihoods.
Korea’s Catalytic Role
The expansion of OMFP was made possible by Kenya’s strong commitment to digital agriculture and the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF). Through this partnership, Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) worked with Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoALFI) and KALRO to build the foundation for a data-driven, inclusive, and climate-smart agricultural ecosystem.
In Kiambu and Nakuru, greenhouse demonstration sites built with Korean expertise now serve as living classrooms. Farmers learn how sensors track soil moisture and automate irrigation, practical examples of how technology can make farming smarter and more resilient.
Connecting Farmers and Innovators
Source : World Bank
The One Million Farmer Platform links farmers with digital tools and services that make a difference:
- Advisory & Climate Services: Personalized agronomic advice, weather forecasts, and soil health data.
- Financial Access: Digital insurance and e-vouchers that deliver direct subsidies for inputs like seeds and fertilizer.
- Market Access: Connections to buyers and suppliers that reduce post-harvest losses.
- Capacity Building: Training for farmers and county officers on precision farming and digital tools.
OMFP has become Kenya’s national connector—linking farmers, innovators, and local governments in a shared digital ecosystem.
From Pilot to Policy
Source : World Bank
The KGGTF Grant K-146 allowed Kenya’s agricultural institutions to test AI, Big Data, and e-voucher systems that are now shaping national policy. What started as a technical pilot has evolved into a policy platform guiding Kenya’s agricultural digital transformation.
Partnerships with Plug & Play Tech Center, KT, and local AgTech startups have linked public vision with private innovation, showing how blended finance can unlock investment for green growth.
Building People and Systems
Capacity building was central to this effort. Through joint training with Korean experts, staff from MoALFI and KALRO became digital change agents leading Kenya’s agricultural modernization. Programs with Microsoft and other ecosystem partners further expanded skills in digital and climate-smart agriculture. These efforts contributed to the Agriculture Transformation Enabling Policy Framework, which now supports the scaling up of digital agriculture across Kenya.
Impact Beyond Numbers: Jobs and Youth
The OMFP story is not only about technology. It’s about people. There is growing potential for new roles to emerge in digital extension, data management, greenhouse operations, and AgTech services, which could provide new opportunities for rural youth. Partnerships connecting Korean and Kenyan startups, through KGGTF, Plug & Play, and KT, are expected to help nurture an ecosystem of innovators who increasingly view agriculture as a pathway to both green growth and decent jobs.