The Announcement

The Kenyan government has unveiled an ambitious plan to generate six million jobs by 2030 through a new global framework named the 'JobsConnect Compact'. The announcement was made by Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe at Kilimo House on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. He stated that Kenya is the first African nation to finalize this framework, which aims to create greener, dignified employment opportunities by significantly modernizing the agricultural sector.

Inside the JobsConnect Compact

The strategy is heavily anchored on transforming agriculture into a tech-driven sector to attract youth. According to CS Kagwe, the initiative targets several key outcomes by 2030, including the creation of 5.3 million new and improved jobs, a reduction in the food-insecure population by 10 million, a cut in food imports by KSh 389 billion, and an increase in agricultural export earnings by over KSh 648 billion (USD 5 billion). A central component of the plan is the consolidation of all agricultural digitization efforts under the new Kenya Agriculture Data and Information Centre (KADIC). KADIC will absorb the existing Agriculture Information and Resource Centre (AIRC) and integrate data from 31 ministry parastatals to provide farmers with timely information on weather, pricing, and market trends. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving a coalition of partners, including the World Bank, Mastercard, Equity Group, Microsoft, and the Kenya National Federation of Farmers (KENAFF).

Economic Context and Challenges

The announcement comes against a backdrop of significant economic headwinds and persistent unemployment. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the youth aged 20-24 face the highest unemployment rate at 16.8%. More broadly, the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE) reports that Kenyans aged 15-34 face a staggering 67% unemployment rate. The World Bank has forecast a challenging labor market for Kenya, projecting a rise in the unemployment rate due to sluggish economic growth, high inflation, and policy uncertainty. While Kenya's economy showed resilience with 5.6% GDP growth in 2023, this is expected to slow to 5.0% in 2024. Furthermore, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has highlighted that fiscal consolidation measures, while necessary for debt sustainability, have slowed economic growth and job creation by reducing public investment in critical sectors. A survey by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) revealed that many employers are hesitant to hire, citing high business costs and taxes as significant barriers.

Alignment with National Strategy

This new compact aligns with the government's broader Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which identifies agriculture as a core pillar for economic revival and job creation. A 2025 study by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) projected that the BETA pillars could generate over 1.7 million jobs by 2027 if growth targets are met. The JobsConnect Compact appears to be a specific, targeted initiative to accelerate the agricultural component of this broader agenda. It also feeds into the long-term goals of Kenya Vision 2030, the national blueprint aiming to transform Kenya into a middle-income country by fostering sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life for all citizens.

Analysis and Forward Outlook

While the government's focus on agriculture—the backbone of Kenya's economy—is strategically sound, the success of the JobsConnect Compact will depend on overcoming substantial hurdles. Economists have long pointed out that simply targeting high GDP growth does not automatically translate into sufficient formal employment. The World Bank has noted that for Kenya's growth to be more inclusive, it must translate more efficiently into higher incomes for the poor and create more formal sector jobs, which currently account for only about 15% of employment. The plan's reliance on a coalition of private and international partners is a positive step towards mobilizing the necessary capital and expertise. However, CS Kagwe himself noted that agriculture cannot thrive with commercial interest rates of 18-19%, advocating for more accessible credit. The successful implementation of KADIC to streamline data and empower farmers will be critical. Ultimately, the plan's ambitious targets require a stable macroeconomic environment, sustained investment, and significant structural reforms to improve the business climate and reduce the costs that currently deter private sector hiring. The government's ability to navigate these challenges will determine whether this new framework becomes a game-changer or another well-intentioned plan with limited impact.