Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe has revealed that his net worth is Sh842m in assets.
Kagwe said the wealth is made up of real estate and pieces of land accumulated over a long period.
The nominee appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Appointments on Tuesday.
Earlier on, Kagwe said if approved to the post, he will ensure that there is a comprehensive communication framework aimed at transforming the agricultural sector.
He said he will use both traditional and digital media to enhance communication within the sector.
This is to ensure that all agricultural key stakeholders including farmers, experts, and policymakers are actively involved in decision-making.
“Any decisions we make must include those who own these (agriculture and livestock) products,” he said.
“If approved, I will continue to work closely with the media both mainstream and social to disseminate information and engage with the public,” Kagwe said.
He noted that this worked during his tenure as the Health CS during the Covid-19 period.
Kagwe highlighted the importance of social media in reaching younger audiences and farmers, pointing out that while there are challenges with negativity on digital platforms, they offer a valuable tool for communication.
Speaking on steps he would take to get young people into agriculture, he acknowledged that the sector is too boring for the youth.
“Agriculture for the youth must be made cool. It’s too ordinary and boring. Youth are not going to go there with the way it’s structured today,” he said.
Kagwe said it has got to be something more exciting, which involves technology and new ways of doing things.
“Artificial intelligence is going to play a crucial role in the future of agriculture. Are we educating our future farmers to deal with AI? Are we preparing ours to compete with the best in the world?” Kagwe posed.