Baku:Taita Taveta County is enhancing rice production by providing improved seeds, offering farmer training, and boosting local processing as part of Kenya’s efforts to close the gap between domestic rice production and consumer demand.
According to Kenya News Agency, the county government, in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross, has distributed 3,920 kilograms of Komboka rice seeds to 196 farmers in Taveta Sub-County in anticipation of the October-November-December rains season. This initiative targets farmers in Madarasani, Kimorigo, Eldoro, and Patani Hill, aiming to increase yields, enhance household food security, and boost farmer incomes.
Evelyn Kisamo, County Coordinator for the Kenya Red Cross, stated that the initiative would help farmers enhance production and gain better returns from rice farming. She emphasized the importance of the new rice seed type in improving food security and providing farmers with a sustainable livelihood. The Kenya Red Cross is also supporting demonstration farms at Buruma and training Kiwalwa rice farmers in pest and disease identification to improve crop management and productivity.
Charles Onyango, Taveta Sub-County Agriculture Officer, noted that the county aims for yields of four tonnes per acre to supply the newly operational rice milling plant. This seed distribution is part of broader county efforts to expand rice farming and bolster local processing.
Governor Andrew Mwadime’s 2025 State of the County Address draft outlined plans to expand the Buruma rice scheme from 18,000 acres to 30,000 acres. The county has also distributed 16.35 tonnes of fertilizer to 200 farmers affiliated with the Uswi Cooperative in Mboghoni Ward to support food production. The rice milling plant is set to become operational in 2026, aiming to add value to locally grown rice, but it will require adequate supplies of paddy rice and efficient processing and marketing arrangements.
These efforts occur against a backdrop of a national rice supply deficit that compels Kenya to rely on imports. The Agriculture and Food Authority estimates an annual rice demand of 1.2 million tonnes, while domestic production only reaches 182,030 tonnes. In 2025, rice imports were 582,500 tonnes, costing Sh23.7 billion. Increasing production in rice-growing counties is key to strengthening food security, reducing foreign exchange pressure, and retaining more value within the domestic agricultural economy.
Rice is a priority in the national Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which seeks to boost agricultural productivity, promote agro-processing, and reduce dependency on imported food. For Taita Taveta County and the nation, the focus is now on expanding rice acreage, ensuring access to improved seeds and affordable inputs, strengthening water management, and improving market access for farmers.
