Oparanya pushes for more funding for MSMEs and Co-operatives
By Emmanuel Rono, May 21, 2026Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, has called for an increased investment in grassroots economic programmes, stating that the government initiatives must deliver real value to ordinary Kenyans.
Appearing before the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives during deliberations on the 2026/27 Financial Year Annual Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure on Thursday, May 21, 2026, Oparanya told the committee that the ministry’s programmes are centred on farmers, traders, artisans, youth entrepreneurs, women in business, SACCO members and small-scale producers.
He stressed that budget allocations must translate into tangible impact at the grassroots.
“I emphasised that the Ministry’s programmes must deliver real value to Kenyans at the grassroots. Whether through cooperatives or MSMEs, our focus is on the farmer, the trader, the artisan, the youth entrepreneur, the woman in business, the SACCO member and the small producer working to improve their livelihood,” Oparanya stated.
Strengthening the cooperative sector
In the cooperative sector, Oparanya underscored its role in strengthening smallholder farmers, particularly in coffee and dairy value chains. He pointed to aggregation, improved access to credit, value addition and stronger market linkages as key priorities.
He further appealed for continued support to interventions such as the Coffee Cherry Fund, coffee seedling programmes and the coffee debt waiver, saying they are critical in cushioning farmers and stabilising production.
“I highlighted the importance of the cooperative model in supporting smallholder farmers, especially in coffee and dairy, through aggregation, access to credit, value addition and stronger market linkages. I also appealed for support to the Coffee Cherry Fund, coffee seedlings, the coffee debt waiver and other interventions that directly cushion farmers,” Oparanya wrote.
Oparanya called for enhanced support to Uwezo Fund, NYOTA, Kenya Industrial Estates, Constituency Industrial Development Centres and the East African Community MSME Trade Fair, which remain critical in supporting enterprise growth, industrialisation, and market access.