Kenya Climate Innovation Center has officially begun the handover process for the AgriBiz Programme, with the first event held in Uasin Gishu County on Monday, July 13, 2026.
The handover marks an important transition as the AgriBiz Programme, implemented by KCIC with support from the European Union and Danida, reaches the end of its implementation phase. The Uasin Gishu event brought together representatives from KCIC, the Royal Danish Embassy, the County Government of Uasin Gishu and supported agribusiness enterprises.
KCIC’s delegation was led by Chief Executive Officer Joseph Murabula, while Danida was represented by Ms. Elizabeth Matioli, Team Lead in the Climate and Resilience Team at the Royal Danish Embassy.
The day began with a courtesy call on H.E. Evans Kapkea, Deputy Governor of Uasin Gishu County. During the meeting, the Deputy Governor appreciated KCIC, the European Union and Danida for their support through AgriBiz and other development initiatives, including FLLoCA and health-sector support. He also recognised KCIC’s continued partnership with the county through AgriBiz, SWIFT and other ongoing initiatives.
The delegation later proceeded to the Uasin Gishu Business Incubation Hub, where they were taken through the offices and assets domiciled at the hub. This was followed by a brief handover event, during which handover documents were symbolically signed.
Dr. Sam Kotut, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Agribusiness, signed the handover documents and received the assets on behalf of Uasin Gishu County. He was flanked by Eng. Abraham Kiptalaam, Chief Officer for Agriculture and Agribusiness, among other County officials.
The ceremony also included the symbolic handover of a dummy key to the Business Incubation Hub offices, representing the transition of the hub and its assets to the county.
Speaking during the event, KCIC CEO Joseph Murabula said the handover was not simply about transferring equipment or office assets, but about sustaining a model of collaboration that has demonstrated what is possible when development partners, county governments, enterprise support institutions and entrepreneurs work together.
“Beyond equipment and office assets, we are handing over a model of collaboration,” he said. “We are handing over a platform that has demonstrated how national institutions, county governments, development partners and entrepreneurs can work together.”
The Uasin Gishu Business Incubation Hub has served Uasin Gishu and the wider North Rift region, supporting enterprises from Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot. In total, the hub supported 272 agribusiness enterprises, including 190 from Uasin Gishu County. Of the Uasin Gishu enterprises, 122 were women-led while 68 were male youth-led.
The hub provided enterprises with business advisory support, technical assistance, access to finance, market linkages, training and support towards compliance and commercialisation. Through the hub, 75 enterprises accessed more than KES 52 million in financing, including Results-Based Financing and Proof-of-Concept grants. In Uasin Gishu County specifically, 51 financed enterprises received KES 36.4 million.
Across Kenya, the AgriBiz Programme established and operationalised eight Business Incubation Hubs and supported more than 2,100 enterprises, contributing to a stronger ecosystem for women and youth-led agribusiness.
Ms. Matioli commended the partnership behind AgriBiz and noted that development partners play a catalytic role in supporting systems that can continue beyond a programme cycle.
“Development partners are here to catalyse,” she said. “We are not here to support something until it grows to the maximum scale it can get to. It is a delight that the European Union, Denmark and KCIC have been able to catalyse the agribusiness sector in this region.”
She also praised the role of Uasin Gishu County Government, noting the county’s centrality in the collaboration and its articulation of agriculture as a key development priority.
Four supported enterprises from the Uasin Gishu Hub were present to showcase their products and interact with the delegation. Their stories reflected the practical ways in which AgriBiz support has contributed to value addition, market access, brand growth and job creation.
Mercy Kimalel of Dibas Diaries said the programme’s technical support had strengthened the enterprise’s capacity for value addition and opened new possibilities for market growth.
“We are grateful for the support, especially technical support. Now we can do value addition and even export our products,” she said.
Ruth Jepchirchir of Honey Zest said AgriBiz had helped the enterprise grow its brand, expand market access and create employment.
“We are now in all supermarkets in Kenya and have employed 66 people full-time,” she said. “We’ve also been able to empower thousands of farmers on value addition to maximise their earnings.”
For KCIC, the handover process is part of responsible programme closure and institutional learning. While the implementation phase of AgriBiz is coming to a close, KCIC has emphasised that the enterprise journeys, partnerships and development priorities advanced through the programme continue.
Murabula said the legacy of AgriBiz will be measured by the enterprises that continue to grow, the jobs that continue to be created, the young people who choose agribusiness as a priority rather than a last resort, and the counties that continue investing in agribusiness infrastructure and policy.
“As KCIC advances its Pan-African strategy, the lessons from AgriBiz will remain central to how we think about inclusive enterprise development, county and regional ecosystems, and the role of women and youth in climate-resilient economic transformation,” he said.
The Uasin Gishu handover marks the first in a series of AgriBiz handover events across the programme’s host counties.