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The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, has issued a one-month ultimatum to maize hoarders to release their stocks to the market, warning that failure to comply will force the government to allow duty-free maize imports to stabilize maize flour prices.
The government is targeting an immediate uptake of 1.7 million bags due to maize hoarders, with a long-term goal of building a 4 million-bag Strategic Grain Reserve.
However, only 186,000 bags have been delivered so far, a shortfall attributed to hoarding and speculative behavior, even as drought conditions begin to emerge in parts of the country.
Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government’s priority remains purchasing maize from local farmers to replenish the National Strategic Food Reserves, but cautioned that imports would be unavoidable if sufficient stocks are not delivered within 30 days.
“We are buying maize at Ksh 4,000 per bag, and we have Ksh 1.7 billion ready to pay farmers. Our first option is not to import but to buy from our farmers and stock our strategic reserves,” Kagwe said.
To curb post-harvest losses and address quality concerns, Kagwe said the ministry is rationalizing the deployment of more than 60 mobile and immobile maize dryers nationwide.
Dryers will be redeployed to cooperatives, large-scale farmers, self-help groups, and high-production zones, while those stationed in low-yield areas will be withdrawn.
“Aflatoxin is a public health issue. Deploying dryers to areas without sufficient maize is a misuse of national resources,” he said.
Farmers will be allowed to dry maize at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) facilities at minimal maintenance cost, while millers will be permitted to lease dryers to reduce rejection of locally produced maize and discourage reliance on imports.
Kagwe noted that the fertilizer subsidy program has already yielded results, with maize production doubling after the distribution of 9.1 million bags of assorted fertilizers during the 2025 season, supported by favorable weather across the North and South Rift, Eastern, and Central regions.
To address last-mile delivery challenges, county governments will now register agro-dealers, allowing farmers to access subsidized fertilizer closer to their farms to reduce the maize hoarder problem.
The ministry is also working with the National Treasury, the World Bank, and commercial banks to roll out an instant payment system to ensure agro-dealers are paid immediately upon voucher redemption.
“This will reduce transport costs, improve availability, and ensure fertilizer reaches farmers at the village level,” Kagwe said.
On rice, the CS dismissed claims of a national supply crisis, saying current challenges are logistical rather than structural. He noted that Kenya produces about 20 percent of its rice needs, importing the remaining 80 percent, underscoring the need to expand domestic production.
Kenya produces only about 10 percent of its wheat requirements. Kagwe said a clear policy framework is already in place to prioritize uptake of locally produced wheat before imports, a principle that will also apply to rice.
Rice imports, he added, will not be allowed before locally produced stocks are fully absorbed, a policy aimed at encouraging local production and reducing long-term import dependence.
The CS further revealed that the ministry, in collaboration with county governments, is conducting a nationwide soil mapping exercise to guide the use of crop- and soil-specific fertilizers, boost productivity per acre, and increase farmer returns.
He also directed the NCPB to urgently address system inefficiencies slowing grain intake, warning that delays and technical failures would not be tolerated, in addition to maize hoarders.
“We must have enough food in our stores. Food security is not optional; it is a national duty,” Kagwe said.
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