The Government will import 25 million 90kg bags of maize to bridge an anticipated food deficit and protect the country from a possible shortage caused by drought and other climate-related challenges that have affected production in major maize growing regions.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the Government has already put in place arrangements to facilitate the imports, assuring Kenyans that the country has sufficient measures in place to guarantee food security despite the current challenges
Kenya consumes approximately 75 million bags of maize annually. However, reduced harvests in several food-producing regions are expected to create a shortfall of nearly 25 million bags, prompting the Government to intervene through strategic imports to stabilize supplies and protect consumers from potential price fluctuations.
“We will import maize. We have already made arrangements for that. We will manage the country. The country is not going to go hungry,” said Kagwe.
The CS noted that while maize imports will provide an immediate solution to the projected shortage, the Government is simultaneously implementing long term interventions aimed at strengthening local food production and reducing the country’s vulnerability to climate change.
Among the key interventions is the expansion of irrigation projects such as the Galana Kulalu scheme, which is expected to boost agricultural productivity, increase resilience against drought and reduce dependence on rain-fed farmin
The Government will also collaborate with the National Treasury to streamline taxes and address bureaucratic challenges affecting farmers and agribusinesses in an effort to make the agricultural sector more competitive and profitable.
At the same time, youth employment emerged as a key priority during the Fifth Joint Consultative Meeting of County Executive Committee Members (CECMs), where the Ministry officially launched consultations for the upcoming AgriConnect Compact Programme.
