A programme to enhance market access for poor farmers and entreprenuers has been launched in the country with the help of Sh2.6 billion funding from the UK government.

The Kenya Market Trust market access programme will be funded through UKaid to promote job creation and income generation in select sectors, said the UK government.

"The approach looks at what makes markets fall or prosper and bring benefits to producers, consumers and other people along the value chain," said the permanent secretary for UK department for international development, Mark Lowcock.

The programme aims to increase average household incomes of more than 200,000 small scale farmers and business people and creation of at least 100,000 new jobs over the next five years.

"The future of global market systems is changing given the experience of the financial crises in the last several years. Consumers, tax payers and the poor demanding more from markets and firms through innovations that raise standards of efficiency and delivery," added Lowcock.

The programme will also work to unlock growth by addressing some business barriers and promote financial access among the poor.