Kenya Targets Sevenfold Increase in Rice Production with New Varieties

Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan government, through the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS), is focusing on developing new rice varieties that require less water and can be grown in uplands. This initiative aims to significantly boost local rice production by 2030.

According to Kenya News Agency, the goal is to increase local rice production from 128,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) in 2016 to 846,000 MT by the end of NRDS II in 2030. Government statistics from 2022 showed a modest rise in paddy production, reaching 192,299 MT.

During his speech at the Kenya National Rice Conference in Nairobi, which was read by Director for Crop Resources Management Douglas Kangi, Dr. Ronoh highlighted the increasing local demand for rice due to population growth, urbanization, and changing dietary habits. He noted that per capita consumption has escalated from 12 kgs in 2016 to 28 kgs in 2022, with the total demand reaching 1.2 million MT. Currently, local production meets only 20 percent of the demand, with the rest being imported, costing about Sh.34.4 billion in 2022.

Dr. Ronoh discussed various government initiatives to ramp up rice production, including the construction of the Thiba dam in Kirinyaga County, which boosted output in the Mwea irrigation scheme. He emphasized the global significance of rice in combating hunger and its growing importance in food security and economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He mentioned Kenya’s involvement in the Coalition for Africa Rice Development Initiative and the ongoing implementation of NRDS’s second phase, aiming to make Kenya self-sufficient in rice production. Additionally, Kenya’s participation in developing the East African Community (EAC) Rice Development Strategy was highlighted, focusing on regional concerns like research, policy integration, and market competitiveness.

Dr. Eliud Kireger, Director General of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), underscored the organization’s strategic objective to enhance crop production, productivity, and utilization. He cited significant progress in rice research, including the release and commercialization of various rice varieties and improved crop management practices. KALRO has also strengthened the rice seed system, producing over 80MT of certified rice seed annually and collaborating with private seed merchants for commercial production.

KALRO’s collaboration with The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) since 2012 has been instrumental in breeding new lowland rice varieties and developing market segments to guide rice improvement in Kenya. These efforts align with the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), where rice has been identified as a priority value chain under the reduction of imports pillar.

These initiatives represent a concerted effort to reduce Kenya’s reliance on imported rice and bolster local production to meet the increasing demand.