Komboka becomes first Kenyan rice variety listed in COMESA seed directory

By Zablon Oyugi

What started as a Kenyan breeding success is now poised to transform rice production across Eastern and Southern Africa, with Komboka becoming the first rice variety developed and released in Kenya to be listed in the COMESA regional seed-trade directory, enabling its cultivation and commercial distribution across all 21 member states.

The milestone, finalized in September 2025, allows Komboka seed to move freely across borders without each country undertaking its own variety performance trials. By eliminating this lengthy and costly process, the listing removes one of the biggest constraints to regional seed trade and speeds up farmers’ access to improved rice varieties.

Komboka was developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) working in partnership with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and other national agricultural research bodies. Since its introduction in Kenya in 2013, the variety has steadily gained ground among rice growers.

Farmers have embraced Komboka for its consistently high yields, ability to perform under drought or limited water conditions, strong disease tolerance, and attractive grain characteristics, including long, semi-aromatic grains. According to IRRI and local stakeholders, at least 40 per cent of Kenya’s rice farmers now plant Komboka, with uptake continuing to spread into emerging rice-growing areas such as Tana River County.

With COMESA registration secured, the variety’s footprint is expected to expand well beyond Kenya, reaching rice-producing countries including Sudan, Malawi, Rwanda and Somalia, as well as others within the wider Eastern and Southern Africa rice belt.

Agricultural experts say the regional listing of Komboka provides a practical pathway for faster dissemination of climate-resilient rice varieties, a development that could significantly improve productivity, enhance food security and raise incomes for smallholder farmers across the region.

To meet rising demand, IRRI and its national partners plan to collaborate with seed companies and local distributors to ensure adequate seed supply, positioning Komboka as a regional asset rather than a Kenya-only success.