Kenya to import 25 million bags of maize to address food deficit

Kenya has announced plans to import 25 million 90-kilogram bags of maize to address an anticipated domestic shortage. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe stated that the country consumes between 70 million and 75 million bags annually, but poor harvests in key production regions are expected to result in a significant deficit.

Reports indicate that some of the maize being exported to Kenya is grain that was previously rejected by Malawian authorities. This export occurs as Malawi faces its own food security challenges, with the price of its staple crop increasing by 8 percent in a single month. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has warned that maize prices in Malawi could continue to rise due to high fertilizer and seed costs, rising transport expenses, and volatile currency conditions.

To mitigate long-term reliance on imports, the Kenyan government is pursuing domestic interventions, including the expansion of irrigation to reduce dependence on rainfall.