The Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) is seeking to expand access to financing for farmers, cooperatives and small businesses in the North Rift region, as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural value chains, promote value addition and create jobs.
The State development finance institution is encouraging Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) and cooperatives to take advantage of available financing to support business expansion, investment in machinery, processing and working capital.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement forum held in Eldoret on October 17, 2026, KDC Director General Norah Ratemo said the Corporation is working to bring development capital closer to businesses and communities with viable investment opportunities.
“This means finance can reach closer to the farmer seeking to increase production, the dairy cooperative looking to invest in processing, or the entrepreneur who needs machinery or working capital to take a business to the next level,” said Ratemo.
The forum brought together SACCOs, cooperatives, businesses and stakeholders from various agricultural value chains within the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB).
Discussions focused on unlocking investment opportunities in dairy, tea, coffee, maize, wheat, pyrethrum, avocado and livestock farming.
Beyond increasing agricultural production, KDC wants farmers and businesses to invest in processing, storage, aggregation, logistics and technology to earn more from their produce.
Through its wholesale financing model, KDC channels funding to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through financial institutions, including SACCOs.
The Corporation also provides direct financing to viable cooperatives and enterprises seeking capital for business establishment, expansion, diversification, equipment acquisition and day-to-day operations.
In addition, KDC offers equity financing to businesses and projects requiring long-term investment capital to support growth.
KSh 5.3 Billion Disbursed Across 45 Counties
Ratemo revealed that KDC has already disbursed KSh 5.3 billion under the Supporting Access to Finance and Enterprise Recovery (SAFER) Project, benefiting MSMEs across 45 counties.
She said the Corporation intends to expand the geographical reach of its financing to ensure more businesses outside major commercial centres can access development capital.
“We want to see a wider regional spread of KDC financing so that viable businesses across the country can access the capital they need to grow. Already, KES 5.3 billion has been disbursed under the SAFER Project, supporting MSMEs across 45 counties. We want to deepen this impact by taking development capital even closer to enterprises and communities where opportunities exist,” said Ratemo.
Cooperatives Urged to Invest in Value Addition
Speaking at the forum, Hon. Philip Chebunet called for the revival and strengthening of the cooperative movement, describing it as an important vehicle for mobilising farmers, building enterprises and driving agricultural value addition.
Chebunet challenged cooperatives to move beyond traditional activities and develop commercially viable projects capable of attracting financing.
“We want to see strong cooperatives that can bring farmers together, build viable enterprises and invest in value addition. The financing available through KDC provides an opportunity to strengthen these enterprises and in turn, strengthen the cooperative movement,” said Chebunet.
He also urged county governments to work more closely with KDC to identify investment opportunities, support enterprises and address challenges preventing businesses from accessing development finance.
The proposed collaboration would help build a pipeline of bankable projects across agriculture, manufacturing, processing and other productive sectors.
The initiative aligns with the government’s broader agenda of strengthening MSMEs through improved access to finance, market development, technology adoption and increased competitiveness.
For farmers and cooperatives in the North Rift, the focus on value addition could open opportunities to establish processing facilities, invest in modern agricultural equipment and expand market access.
KDC says its objective is to ensure that more of the economic value generated from agricultural production remains within local communities, supporting enterprise growth and job creation.
