The County Government of Baringo has launched an ambitious agripreneurship programme aimed at transforming agriculture from a largely subsistence-based activity into a modern, data-driven and market-oriented sector.

Through the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Blue Economy, the county today inaugurated 210 agripreneurs under the Food Systems Resilience Project in a ceremony held at the Kenya School of Government in Kabarnet.

The selected agripreneurs were competitively recruited through an open online application portal managed in collaboration with Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). According to county officials, the selection process was merit-based, attracting applicants from across the county who met strict qualification criteria.

The programme will run for 18 months and is structured to equip participants with practical and entrepreneurial skills. It begins with a one-month intensive boot camp phase dubbed Know Your Farmer, designed to ground the agripreneurs in community engagement and data collection. This will be followed by 11 months of structured incubation focusing on agribusiness development, digital agriculture tools, extension methodologies and value chain strengthening. Upon completion, participants are expected to transition into commercialization as viable, self-sustaining agricultural service providers.

At the ward level, the agripreneurs will be tasked with developing a comprehensive digital farmers database, delivering hybrid extension services that combine in-person and technology-enabled advisory support, and spearheading value chain development initiatives. They will also play a central role in farmer organization, capacity building and linking producers to markets and financial services.

Speaking during the inauguration, Governor Benjamin Cheboi challenged the cohort to uphold discipline and professionalism throughout the programme. He emphasized that the county expects measurable impact, particularly in improving productivity, enhancing climate resilience and increasing household incomes.

The initiative forms part of broader county efforts to modernize agriculture, enhance food security and position Baringo as a competitive player in Kenyas evolving agricultural economy.