The government will spend Ksh500 million to mop over 5,000 tonnes of locally grown rice, mainly in Kirinyaga and neighbouring counties.

It will, however, continue to allow importation to tame what would still be a huge deficit.   

The commitment by the government comes a few days after rice farmers in the Mwea area of Kirinyaga County complained of flooding of the local market with cheap imported rice, thus frustrating growers’ efforts to sell the commodity.

Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Bruno Linyiru said that the commodity will be purchased by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).  

He added that the government will purchase the commodity as part of protecting the livelihoods of over 8,500 rice farmers from Kirinyaga and neighbouring counties.   

Linyiru led a high-level meeting held at the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society offices on May 29, 2025.

“The Cooperative will receive full payment within one month after delivery, a significant improvement on previous delays that hampered farmers’ operations and cash flow,” Linyiru said.   

Farmers, he added, had raised concerns regarding accumulating stocks even in the midst of rice shortages in the country.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, last week directed AFA to visit the region with KNTC and come up with a solution.  

Feed the county

According to Linyiru, Kenya produced 191,000 tonnes of milled rice in the 2024/25 season, an output enough to feed the county for two months, as monthly requirements stand at about 100,000 tonnes.

Since January this year, he stated only 94,000 tonnes of rice have been imported.  

“This shortfall, therefore, necessitates importation to supplement the local supply of the third most consumed staple cereal after maize and wheat,” he added.

Going forward, Linyiru explained that AFA, in collaboration with the Ministry and other key stakeholders, is spearheading initiatives to reduce rice imports by 50 per cent through the expansion of irrigation schemes, increasing area under production, introduction of high-yield rice varieties and promotion of upland rice farming.

“A move that will empower more farmers, increase production and productivity and enhance food security,” he insisted.