Taita Taveta steps up rice production to reduce import dependence

By Arnold Masila (KNA)

Taita Taveta County is ramping up rice production through the distribution of improved seed varieties, farmer training and enhanced local processing in a bid to boost food security and reduce Kenya's reliance on imported rice.

In partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, the county government has distributed 3,920 kilogrammes of Komboka rice seed to 196 farmers in Taveta Sub-County ahead of the October-November-December short rains season.

The beneficiaries, drawn from Madarasani, Kimorigo, Eldoro and Patani Hill, are expected to use the improved seed varieties to increase yields, strengthen household food security and improve incomes from rice farming.

Kenya Red Cross County Coordinator Evelyn Kisamo said the programme is aimed at helping farmers increase production and achieve better returns from rice cultivation.

“We’ve targeted rice farmers with a new type of rice seed to increase production, improve food security and enable farmers to earn a meaningful livelihood from their efforts,” said Kisamo.

She said the Kenya Red Cross is also supporting demonstration farms in Buruma in collaboration with the County Department of Agriculture and training Kiwalwa rice farmers on pest and disease management to improve productivity.

Taveta Sub-County Agriculture Officer Charles Onyango said the county is targeting yields of four tonnes per acre to boost rice production and ensure a steady supply of raw materials for its newly operational rice milling plant.

“This seed distribution aims to increase productivity to a target of four tonnes per acre. Ultimately, we want to have enough supply for our recently completed rice milling plant,” Onyango said.

The initiative forms part of broader county efforts to expand rice cultivation and strengthen value addition.

In his 2025 State of the County Address, Governor Shadrack Mwadime outlined plans to expand the Buruma Rice Irrigation Scheme from 18,000 acres to 30,000 acres in an effort to raise production.

The county has also supported farmers with inputs. According to the 2023-2025 Agriculture Department Scorecard, 16.35 tonnes of fertiliser were distributed to 200 farmers affiliated with the Uswi Cooperative in Mboghoni Ward.

The operationalisation of the county's rice milling plant marks another milestone in efforts to add value to locally grown rice. However, sustaining the facility will depend on adequate paddy production and efficient systems for collection, processing and marketing.

The county's intervention comes against the backdrop of a widening national rice deficit that continues to drive import demand.

According to the Agriculture and Food Authority, Kenya's annual rice demand stands at 1.2 million tonnes, compared to local milled rice production of 182,030 tonnes. The country imported 582,500 tonnes of rice in 2025 at a cost of Sh23.7 billion.

Increasing production in major rice-growing areas is therefore critical to strengthening food security, reducing pressure on foreign exchange reserves and retaining more value within the local agricultural economy.

Rice is among the priority value chains under the Government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which seeks to increase agricultural productivity, promote agro-processing and reduce dependence on food imports.