Kenyan MPs Skip IGAD Agri-Food Systems Training as Regional Leaders Call for More Agricultural Funding

By John Kariuki

A high-level training on agri-food systems organized by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) opened in Nairobi amid concerns over the absence of Kenyan Members of Parliament.

The four-day forum brought together ambassadors and parliamentarians from IGAD member states to discuss strategies for strengthening regional agri-food systems and accelerating sustainable agricultural transformation. While Kenya hosted the session, its MPs failed to attend, leaving the country represented solely by Kenya’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, George Magoeye.

IGAD Nairobi Head of Mission, Dr. Mohy Tohami, underscored the significance of the gathering, saying it would shape long-term policy frameworks and strategies to secure the region’s food future. “This platform is critical in ensuring agriculture remains at the heart of our development agenda, particularly as we tackle climate change and food insecurity,” he said.

Delegates from across East Africa expressed concern about chronic underfunding of agriculture, which has left countries dependent on food imports. “We cannot achieve food sovereignty if we continue to underfund agriculture while watching food import bills skyrocket,” said one delegate from Uganda.

The forum also highlighted the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), known as the Kampala Declaration, which urges member states to make bold investments in sustainable food production, agri-industrialization, trade, and agricultural financing.

A South Sudanese parliamentarian attending the training called for collective action. “The commitment we make here should translate into real budgetary allocations back home. Agriculture is the foundation of everything—food, jobs, and stability,” she said.

IGAD said the workshop is designed to empower national leaders with the advocacy and lobbying skills needed to secure greater agricultural funding and policy reforms.

The absence of Kenyan MPs sparked debate among attendees, with some questioning the country’s commitment to regional agricultural goals despite hosting the event.

The training continues for four days and is expected to produce a framework for stronger national and regional commitments to agricultural transformation, which leaders said is key to ending food insecurity and creating sustainable livelihoods for millions of farmers.