Government to import 25 million bags of maize to avert projected shortage

Kenya will import 25 million 90-kilogram bags of maize to bridge a projected food deficit and safeguard the country against a possible shortage arising from drought and other climate-related challenges affecting production in major maize-growing regions.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the Government has already made arrangements to facilitate the imports, assuring Kenyans that measures are in place to maintain adequate food supplies despite the anticipated shortfall.

“We will import maize. We have already made arrangements for that. We will manage the country. The country is not going to go hungry,” Kagwe said.

Kenya consumes approximately 75 million bags of maize annually, but reduced harvests in several food-producing regions are expected to create a deficit of nearly 25 million bags. The planned imports are therefore intended to stabilize supplies and cushion consumers against possible price increases resulting from constrained availability.

Kagwe said the imports would provide an immediate response to the projected deficit, while the Government is pursuing longer-term measures to strengthen domestic food production and reduce the country’s exposure to climate-related disruptions.

Among the interventions is the expansion of irrigation projects, including the Galana Kulalu scheme, which is expected to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen the country’s resilience to drought.

The Government hopes increased irrigation will also reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture, which remains highly vulnerable to changing weather patterns.

The Ministry will also work with the National Treasury to streamline taxes and address bureaucratic challenges affecting farmers and agribusinesses.

The measures are aimed at improving the competitiveness and profitability of the agricultural sector and encouraging greater investment in food production.

Kagwe also highlighted youth employment as a major priority as the Government moves to transform agriculture into a modern, technology-driven and commercially viable sector.

The remarks came during the Fifth Joint Consultative Meeting of County Executive Committee Members, where the Ministry launched consultations for the proposed AgriConnect Compact Programme.

The programme is expected to create thousands of employment opportunities by expanding agribusiness and increasing participation in modern agricultural value chains.

The meeting brought together national and county government leaders and representatives of the World Bank Group to review progress under the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), both of which will transition into the AgriConnect Compact Programme.

According to Kagwe, AgriConnect will be built around three key pillars: increasing agricultural productivity, promoting value addition and creating sustainable employment through agribusiness.

He said agriculture should no longer be regarded as a last resort for survival but as an engine for wealth creation, investment and job creation, particularly for young people.

The programme will promote the digitization of agriculture, artificial intelligence and other modern technologies to improve productivity and make farming more attractive to the next generation.

The consultative meeting also provided stakeholders with an opportunity to contribute to a roadmap that will guide implementation of AgriConnect and inform future agricultural policies.

Kagwe was accompanied by Principal Secretaries Dr Paul Kipronoh Ronoh and other national and county leaders, including Governors Kenneth Makelo Lusaka of Bungoma, Benjamin Cheboi of Baringo, Andrew Mwadime of Taita Taveta, Simon Kachapin of West Pokot, Ali Mohamed of Marsabit, Nathif J. Adam of Garissa and Ochillo Ayacko, as well as World Bank Group representative Ghada Elabed.