- A Ksh 580 million Korea funded rice seed project in Mwea aims to reduce Kenya’s rice deficit by producing high quality certified seeds.
- The K Rice Belt Project will produce about 700 tonnes of certified rice seed annually and train farmers on modern farming technologies.
- The initiative seeks to cut rice imports, boost farmer yields and incomes, and move Kenya closer to rice self sufficiency.
A Ksh 580 million Korea-backed rice seed project in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, is targeting Kenya’s persistent rice production deficit.
Kenya is currently faced by a persistent rice deficit, driven by high production costs, poor weather, and inferior seeds, among other factors, forcing the country to rely heavily on imports.
Rice farmers across the country produce 230,000 to 260,000 metric tonnes of rice annually against a demand of about 1.3 million metric tonnes. This translates to 20 percent of the country’s rice demand, creating an annual shortage exceeding 800,000 metric tonnes.
A recent economic survey indicated that Kenya’s spending on rice imports reached a historic high of Ksh 55.11 billion, surpassing wheat imports for the first time. The country imports the grain from Asian and regional markets, including Pakistan, India, Thailand and Tanzania.
These imports have faced a backlash from local farmers, who face heavy market competition from the imported grain.
However, the government, together with development partners, has embarked on diverse projects aimed at improving the country’s rice production and reducing reliance on imports.
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Among the projects is the Development of Africa Rice Seed Cultivation Complex, dubbed the K-Rice Belt Project, being undertaken at Kirogo Farm in Kimbimbi, Mwea Constituency, Kirinyaga County.
The state-of-the-art certified rice seed cultivation and processing project commenced in August 2024 and is set to be complete by December 2028. It is funded by the Korean government through the Korea Program for International Cooperation in Agricultural Technology (KOPIA), to a tune of about Ksh 580 million.
The project, according to KOPIA Kenya Country Director Dr Ji Gang Kim, is expected to transform rice farming by ensuring an adequate supply of affordable, high-quality certified seeds to thousands of rice farmers across the country.
Dr Kim, who spoke during an inspection tour at the facility, said the project sits on a 200-acre piece of land and will ensure Kenya becomes self-reliant in rice, reducing the import burden while enabling farmers to increase productivity through access to quality seeds.
The director said the facility has been equipped with advanced processing technology, including Korean rice driers, rice dressers and modern storage systems. It has the capacity to produce 40 tonnes of certified seed daily, translating to approximately 700 tonnes annually.
According to Dr Kim, the increased availability of certified seeds will give farmers reliable access to quality planting materials, leading to higher yields and improved incomes.
“We are also training rice farmers on the latest farming technologies, including mechanisation and use of high-quality certified seeds, to boost their production and income. We are optimistic that Kenya will soon be rice self-sufficient,” Dr Kim said.
Through the collaboration between KOPIA and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the facility is now producing various rice varieties that are high-yielding and disease-resistant. They include Mkombozi, Komboka and Tongil.
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Anita Ijayi, a seed researcher at KALRO, said they have been training farmers on the new seed varieties, noting that they can produce up to seven tonnes per acre.
She said KALRO will work closely with cooperatives and farmers’ organisations to ensure widespread distribution of certified seeds, adding that the facility will play a pivotal role in capacity building among farmers from rice-growing areas, especially Mwea and Bura.
“We have already roped in about 75 farmers in Mwea and Bura schemes who are cultivating these seeds. We are also calling on all farmers to use the right certified seeds because they are available, unlike before, when we couldn’t meet the demand,” Ijayi said.
Mathew Kamanu, a rice farmer in Mwea, said the region has long struggled with seed production challenges but expressed confidence that the new facility will resolve the problem.
Kamanu said inadequate and low-quality seeds have been one of the reasons behind low rice production in the area, adding that with the introduction of new varieties and proper farmer training on the latest farming technologies, most local farmers are now maximising their production.
“We have been growing the Basmati variety for decades for economic purposes, and most of the time we were left buying other cheap varieties for local consumption. However, since the Komboka variety was introduced to us, we have witnessed improved production and better returns,” Kamanu said.
By John Kamau
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