Mwea, Kirinyaga County – The Kenyan government has pledged to buy the entire rice stock from farmers under the Mwea Irrigation Scheme in a major push to ease market pressure and protect local growers from the influx of cheap imports.
The decision, announced this week by the Ministry of Agriculture, will see the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) mop up over 5,000 metric tonnes of rice. The total cost is estimated at KSh500 million, with payment to farmers expected within 30 days of delivery, according to a statement by Bruno Linyiru, Director General of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
“This intervention is timely,” said Linyiru during a tour of the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society on Wednesday. “Farmers raised genuine concerns about unsold stock. The government is stepping in to ensure they are not left behind.”
Farmers Pleaded for Relief
The move comes after rice farmers urged the government to temporarily suspend rice imports to give the local harvest a chance in the market. Many reported stockpiles sitting in storage, unsold.
“We just want a fair market,” said Mary Wanjiku, a rice farmer in Mwea. “When imported rice floods the shelves, ours just sits. We can’t feed our families with that.”
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe directed AFA to visit the region and come up with a practical solution. The tour revealed that Kenya is only able to produce 191,000 metric tonnes of rice annually—a supply that barely lasts two months.
To fill the gap, the country has long depended on imports from Asia. But that same imported rice has become a thorn in the side of local producers.
Import Reduction and Rice Reform
Following the tour, authorities said they plan to cut rice imports by 50 per cent and boost local production instead. This will involve expanding irrigation schemes and promoting high-yield rice varieties.
“Kenya must grow its own food,” said Linyiru. “The answer lies not in the port, but in our fields.”
The ministry also responded to another issue raised by farmers—retailers rebranding imported rice as local produce, misleading consumers and hurting local brands.
AFA said it would crack down on the practice, calling it a “betrayal of both the farmer and the buyer.”
“We are working closely with regulators to ensure honest labelling in shops,” Linyiru added.
Commitment to Local Farmers
In a written statement, the ministry said it is determined to protect local farmers and strengthen the country’s food security.
“The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the interests of Kenyan farmers and promoting local agricultural value chains,” the statement read.
For many in Mwea, the promise of government support comes as a lifeline.
“We’re not asking for much,” said farmer James Ndung’u. “Just that when we grow rice, someone buys it.”
