KCB Foundation Launches Farmer Visibility Initiative to Digitise 30,000 Dairy Farmers in Kenya

KCB Foundation, KCB Bank Kenya and Heifer International Kenya have launched the Farmer Visibility (FaVi) initiative, a nine-month programme aimed at empowering 30,000 smallholder dairy farmers with digital identities, financial services and improved access to formal markets through a digitally connected dairy ecosystem.

The KSh 20+ million collaborative pilot, launched on July 28, 2026, brings together KCB Foundation, KCB Bank Kenya, Mastercard and Heifer International Kenya to address challenges facing Kenya’s smallholder dairy sector, including limited access to financial services, informal transactions and weak market linkages.

The Farmer Visibility initiative will create digital profiles for farmers, enabling them to build verifiable economic records that can support access to savings, credit, insurance and input financing.

Speaking during the launch, KCB Foundation Managing Director Mendi Njonjo said the programme would support the development of more connected and resilient agricultural systems.

“We are building resilient agricultural systems where smallholder farmers are visible, financially empowered, digitally connected, and fully integrated into formal markets.”

“Through the Farmer Visibility initiative, we are combining digital innovation, financial inclusion, and practical agricultural support to help farmers increase productivity and improve household incomes.”

KCB Farmer Visibility Programme Targets Dairy Cooperatives in Three Regions

The nine-month pilot will be implemented across Central, Rift Valley and Western Kenya, targeting farmers organised through 60 dairy cooperatives and farmer producer organisations.

The initiative will begin with dairy cooperatives in Nandi County, including Lessos and Kabiyet dairy cooperatives, which will serve as initial pilot test sites before possible expansion to other parts of the country.

Through the programme, farmers will receive digital identities and access tools designed to improve transaction visibility, strengthen financial literacy and integrate them into formal dairy value chains.

How the Farmer Visibility Initiative Will Work

The Farmer Visibility (FaVi) initiative is designed to replace cash-based dairy transactions with a digitally connected system that records farmer activity and creates financial histories.

Under the programme, farmers will undergo digital registration and receive secure digital identities alongside customised Farmer Cards provided through Mastercard’s digital infrastructure.

Milk deliveries, processing information and payment transactions will then be digitised, creating records that demonstrate farmers’ economic activity.

The financial records generated through the platform will enable financial institutions to develop products tailored to farmers’ needs, including savings solutions, credit facilities, insurance products and input financing.

Farmers will also be able to use their earnings to access agricultural inputs such as commercial feed and veterinary services, supporting productivity improvements within the dairy value chain.

Role of Partners in the Dairy Digitisation Programme

The Farmer Visibility initiative brings together different partners with specific responsibilities across farmer engagement, financial services, technology and value chain support.

KCB Foundation will oversee farmer engagement, cooperative onboarding and financial literacy training, while KCB Bank Kenya will provide banking systems, digital payment merchant processing and individual account opening services.

Mastercard will provide digital infrastructure, identity technology and Farmer Cards to support farmer registration and transaction tracking.

Heifer International Kenya will support community-level coordination, dairy value chain expertise and cooperative organisation management.