Bungoma emerges western Kenya agriculture powerhouse, bags prestigious award

Bungoma County has been feted with a Bronze Award for exemplary implementation of the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), further strengthening its position as a leading agricultural powerhouse in Western Kenya and the country.

The award recognizes the County’s performance in implementing NAVCDP projects during the 2025–2026 period.

Bungoma received the honour during the closure of a three-day Joint National-County Consultative Forum on the implementation of the World Bank-supported NAVCDP and Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP) at Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa.

Receiving the award on behalf of Bungoma, Governor Kenneth Lusaka commended the County NAVCDP team, led by County Coordinator Rabecca Lusweti, and the Department of Agriculture, under CECM Eng. Herbert Kibunguchi, for their dedication and commitment to the successful implementation of the project at the grassroots.

Governor Lusaka said the recognition underscores Bungoma’s sustained commitment to transforming agriculture, noting that the County has now been recognized for exemplary NAVCDP implementation for four consecutive years.

He lauded the partnership with the World Bank, saying the programme has played a critical role in empowering farmers across the County through targeted support across various agricultural value chains.

“The partnership has been instrumental in ensuring that farmers at the grassroots are empowered in their respective value chains,” Lusaka said, while urging counties to sustain effective implementation of the programme for greater impact on farmers and food production.

The CoG Agriculture Committee Chairperson said the continued recognition demonstrates Bungoma’s growing capacity to translate agricultural investments and development partnerships into tangible opportunities for farmers, reinforcing its strategic role in strengthening food security and value-chain development.

The Bronze Award places Bungoma among the best-performing counties under the project, with Nyandarua taking Gold and Bomet securing Silver.

The latest recognition further positions Bungoma as a consistent performer in agricultural project implementation and a key contributor to Kenya’s broader agenda of transforming agriculture into a productive, resilient and commercially viable sector.