Agroecology push needs effective coordination, not more pilot projects

Among the different discussions, one key symposium focus was the importance of County Agroecology Steering and Coordination Committees (CASSCOMs), an emerging governance mechanism designed to help counties align agri-food sector initiatives among them agroecology interventions, strengthen collaboration and ensure investments translate into lasting change for producers and all market actors.

Across the country, organisations are implementing diverse projects on soil restoration, conservation agriculture, regenerative farming, seed systems, climate resilience that integrate agroecological principles in approach. Yet many operate independently, often targeting the same communities with evident gaps in their spread and reach.

The result is a patchwork of successful pilot projects that rarely achieve the scale needed to transform Kenya's food systems. Valuable lessons remain confined to individual programmes, resources are duplicated and opportunities for collaboration are missed. Effective coordination, rather than another round of isolated interventions, is what Kenya now needs.

CASSCOMs offer a practical and institutionally anchored solution. By bringing together county governments, farmers, researchers, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector, they create a structured platform for planning, resource mobilisation, monitoring and sharing knowledge.

More importantly, they place county governments at the centre of implementation, where agriculture rightly belongs under Kenya's devolved system.

The State Department for Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has an equally important role in providing policy direction and ensuring counties work towards common national objectives.

Effective coordination between national and county governments will determine whether agroecology becomes embedded in mainstream agricultural planning or remains a collection of disconnected projects.

Ultimately, farmers will not judge agroecology by existence of a national strategy, the number of dialogues held or projects launched. They will judge it by healthier soils, enhanced biodiversity, healthy harvests and more secure livelihoods.

The discussions also underscored the value of institutional support from partners, whose backing of the symposium reflects a broader commitment to strengthening governance around sustainable food systems. However, development partners as highlighted in one of the sessions should complement, not substitute, government leadership.

Strong institutions, rather than donor-funded projects alone, are what will sustain Kenya's agroecology agenda and agri-food system transformation over the long term.

Kenya has already acknowledged that agroecological designs and approaches can improve soil health, strengthen climate resilience, and enhance food nutrition, safety and security. The next step is ensuring that every county has the structures needed to coordinate action, foster integration in planning, mobilise resources, and measure progress.

Achieving those outcomes requires moving beyond fragmented interventions towards coordinated action. CASSCOMs may not be the most visible aspect of Kenya's agricultural transformation, but they could become one of its most consequential.

The writer is a climate action enthusiast and a communications specialist at Windward Communications Consultancy.