NAIROBI, March 4, 2026 — Kenya has officially launched the Electronic Warehouse Receipt System Central Registry [eWRS-CR], a landmark digital platform designed to modernise agricultural commodity trade, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand access to structured markets and financing for farmers and agribusinesses across the country.
Launched by the Warehouse Receipt System Council in partnership with TradeMark Africa, with funding from the British High Commission, the Central Registry is a secure, government-owned digital platform that automates, centralises and manages warehouse receipts issued under the Warehouse Receipt System.
The platform enhances transparency, traceability and trust, enabling seamless participation by farmers, warehouse operators, financial institutions, traders, regulators and other actors across the agricultural value chain.
Supported by the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry through the State Department for Trade, the launch marks Kenya’s transition from pilot implementation to nationwide adoption of a structured and digitised Warehouse Receipt System. The eWRS-CR is expected to become a critical pillar in strengthening agricultural markets and improving farmers’ access to finance.
The launch was officiated by Regina Ombam, Principal Secretary for Trade, who underscored the platform’s role in building trust and catalysing participation across the agricultural value chain.
“The e-WRS Central Registry is not merely a technology platform; it is a confidence-building intervention designed to catalyse participation across the agricultural value chain. By enhancing transparency, strengthening trust and enabling access to finance, this system empowers farmers, attracts private sector investment and contributes to Kenya’s broader economic transformation,” she said.
Agriculture remains central to Kenya’s economy, with smallholder farmers contributing more than 75 per cent of national agricultural output. However, access to formal credit remains limited, with less than five per cent of bank lending directed to the sector. Post-harvest losses — estimated at between 30 and 40 per cent for some commodities — continue to undermine farmer incomes and national food security.
The eWRS-CR seeks to address these challenges by enabling farmers and commodity owners to store produce safely in certified warehouses and receive electronic warehouse receipts as proof of ownership. These receipts can be used as collateral to access financing, allowing farmers to meet immediate financial needs without resorting to distress sales and enabling them to sell when market conditions are more favourable.
The system is also expected to strengthen structured trade, improve price discovery and enhance overall market efficiency.
Patrick Mbogo, Chairman of the Warehouse Receipt System Council, described the Central Registry as a strategic milestone in Kenya’s agricultural and economic transformation.
“The launch of the Electronic Warehouse Receipt System Central Registry marks a defining moment in Kenya’s journey towards a modern, transparent and efficient agricultural marketing system. This platform strengthens trust among market participants, enhances commodity security and unlocks access to financing for farmers and agribusinesses. It lays a firm foundation for structured agricultural trade and positions Kenya as a regional leader in agricultural market innovation,” he said.
Acting Chief Executive Officer and Registrar Lucy Komen highlighted the growing uptake of the system by the private sector and its potential to strengthen agricultural value chains.
“We are encouraged by the private sector’s growing embrace of warehouse operations, which is critical to the success of the system. The Warehouse Receipt System provides an enabling environment for private sector engagement.
In addition, structured market systems allow farmers to focus on production while ensuring their commodities are safely stored, financed and traded within a secure marketplace. We encourage both public and private sector players to adopt this solution to strengthen Kenya’s agricultural value chains,” Komen said.
Lillian Mwai Ndegwa, Kenya Country Director at TradeMark Africa, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to structured agricultural trade and improved market access.
“By improving traceability and enabling access to finance, this platform empowers farmers and agribusinesses to compete more effectively in domestic and regional trade. Our wider ambition of a ‘No Stop Border’ becomes practical by fixing systems at source. Goods moving across Africa — whether between counties or across countries — should not face unnecessary delays caused by fragmented systems. Seamless borders begin at source. Systems like the Electronic Warehouse Receipt platform ensure commodities are traceable, trusted and trade-ready from the moment they enter the value chain,” she said.
Diana Dalton, Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director at the British High Commission in Kenya, reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s agricultural modernisation and financial inclusion agenda.
“Kenya and the UK are injecting innovation into agriculture. This system not only puts more money into farmers’ pockets, but also allows produce such as maize to be used as collateral for short-term loans — for example, to pay school fees — without forcing farmers to sell at lower prices. The renewed Strategic Partnership between Kenya and the UK is driving modernisation for businesses of all sizes, adding crucial value to produce before export. Smallholder farmers are the backbone of the Kenyan economy, and we are going far, together,” she said.
The system has been tested end-to-end and is now fully operational. A total of 114 warehouse receipts, representing nearly 600,000 kilogrammes of commodities, have already been registered, with 44 per cent utilised to access financing.
The official launch of the eWRS-CR provides formal national validation of the platform as an operational government system and signals Kenya’s commitment to building a transparent, efficient and inclusive agricultural market framework — one that reduces losses, strengthens value chains and unlocks sustainable financing for farmers and agribusinesses nationwide.
https://thecooperator.news/kenyas-saccos-eye-fintech-alliances-as-digital-transactions-surge/
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