Kenya Sets Sights on 25 Million Bags of Maize Imports to Cover Looming Food Gap

Kenya is preparing to import 25 million 90-kilogramme bags of maize to bridge an anticipated production shortfall and prevent a possible food shortage following poor harvests in key growing areas.

Agriculture and Livestock Production Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government had already begun preparations for the imports as it moves to stabilise maize supplies and protect consumers from sharp price increases.

Kenya consumes about 75 million bags of maize each year. However, reduced production in several major maize-growing regions is expected to leave the country with a deficit of nearly 25 million bags.

“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.

The expected shortfall has been linked to drought and other climate-related pressures that have affected agricultural production. The government says the imports will provide a short-term response while longer-term measures are implemented to strengthen domestic food production.

Kagwe said the government was expanding irrigation as part of efforts to reduce Kenya’s dependence on increasingly unreliable rainfall. The Galana Kulalu irrigation project is among the schemes expected to contribute to increased agricultural production and improve resilience to drought.

The government also plans to work with the National Treasury to review taxes and reduce bureaucratic barriers affecting farmers and agribusinesses. The measures are intended to lower production costs and improve the competitiveness of Kenya’s agricultural sector.

The maize import plans were announced as national and county officials met to discuss a broader transformation of the agricultural sector.

During the Fifth Joint Consultative Meeting of County Executive Committee Members, the Ministry of Agriculture launched consultations for the proposed AgriConnect Compact Programme. The programme is expected to build on the Food Systems Resilience Program and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project.

Kagwe said AgriConnect would focus on increasing agricultural productivity, expanding value addition and creating sustainable jobs through agribusiness.

The Cabinet Secretary said agriculture must become a more attractive commercial opportunity for young people rather than being viewed primarily as a subsistence activity.

The programme is also expected to promote digital agriculture, artificial intelligence and other modern technologies to improve farm productivity and strengthen links between farmers and markets.

The consultative meeting brought together national and county government officials alongside representatives of the World Bank Group. They discussed progress under existing agricultural programmes and gathered views that will inform the implementation roadmap for AgriConnect.

While the planned maize imports are expected to ease immediate supply pressures, the projected deficit highlights Kenya’s continued exposure to climate-related production shocks. Expanding irrigation, improving farm productivity and strengthening agricultural value chains will remain central to reducing the need for emergency food imports in future seasons.