The Kenyan government has stepped in to purchase more than 60,000 bags of Mwea rice held by farmers as part of efforts to ease storage pressure, improve farmers’ cash flow and create room for the upcoming harvest.
The Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), working with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and farmers’ cooperatives, will buy locally produced rice currently stored by farmers’ groups, with deliveries expected to continue until mid-August.
The intervention comes as rice farmers in Mwea prepare for another production cycle while significant stocks from the previous harvest remain unsold due to marketing challenges.
During an inspection tour in Mwea, AFA Acting Director General Calistus Kundu said the government was committed to ensuring farmers have dependable markets for their produce as Kenya seeks to expand domestic rice production and reduce reliance on imports.
KNTC Managing Director Lucy Anangwe, who led the exercise, said the corporation would purchase all locally produced rice held by cooperatives as part of efforts to support farmers and strengthen the local agricultural value chain.
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“We are here to assess the situation on the ground and reassure farmers that the Government remains committed to supporting the marketing of locally produced rice. KNTC is fully committed to mopping up the rice produced by farmers,” Anangwe said.
The purchased rice will later be distributed to public institutions across the country.
The Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society, which represents more than 80% of rice farmers in the region, currently has more than 30,000 bags in storage and expects a further 25,000 bags from the third crop season.
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Self-help groups in the area are also holding more than 15,000 bags, bringing the total amount targeted under the programme to more than 70,000 bags.
To speed up the purchase and processing process, KNTC and the cooperative have agreed on a delivery schedule of at least two truckloads per day. The milling plant will also introduce a third production shift to increase output to 56 tonnes of milled rice daily.
The additional shift is expected to create jobs while accelerating the clearance of stored rice stocks.
Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society Chief Executive Officer Anthony Waweru said delays in selling the rice had affected payments to farmers but expressed optimism that the government-backed purchase programme would restore normal operations.
“We had expected to pay farmers earlier, but marketing challenges delayed the process. With KNTC now taking up the rice, we expect to clear the current stock within a month and begin paying farmers by July 20,” Waweru said.
The intervention forms part of Kenya’s broader efforts to support agricultural producers, improve market access and strengthen food security by promoting locally grown commodities.
