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By Akedius Ashiono | Good Morning Kenya
A storm is gathering in Kenya’s agricultural sector following the government’s controversial decision to import 500,000 metric tonnes of duty-free rice—just as local farmers begin their annual harvest.
The directive, issued through Gazette Notice No. 10353 on July 28, 2025, has provoked fierce backlash from farmers, economists, and policy advocates who warn that the move threatens to collapse an already fragile domestic rice sector.
Local Farmers Blindsided
In major rice-producing areas such as Mwea, Ahero, and Bura, farmers say the timing could not be worse. With granaries and warehouses filled with unsold stock from the last harvest, they now face a market flooded with cheap foreign rice, tax-free.
“We’re watching years of investment, sweat, and hope unravel,” lamented a farmer from Mwea. “How do we compete when the playing field has been tilted this unfairly?”
Local advocacy group Team EVOLVE has termed the decision “a betrayal of national interests.”
“This isn’t just poor planning—it borders on economic sabotage,” said Prof. Fred Ogolla, a representative of the group. “Instead of empowering producers, the government is enriching a handful of importers and foreign suppliers.”
Government’s Logic Under Scrutiny
The government defends the move as a necessity to close the supply gap, citing Kenya’s consumption of roughly one million tonnes of rice annually—of which only about 300,000 tonnes is produced locally.
But critics argue that this approach ignores the root of the problem.
“You don’t fix a leaking roof by importing umbrellas,” noted Ogolla. “Tanzania focused on improving its capacity. Now they’re exporting rice. Kenya must stop relying on short-term imports and start investing in structural reform.”
Capacity Exists—But Support Lags
Agricultural experts maintain that Kenya has the potential to produce over 1.5 million tonnes of rice annually—if the government invested meaningfully in irrigation, inputs, and rural infrastructure.
Instead, local producers continue to grapple with high input costs, poor access to affordable credit, and broken market linkages.
“The potential is there. What’s lacking is political will,” said a senior agricultural economist who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Importation is not policy—it’s abdication.”
A Pattern of Policy Missteps
This is not the first time Kenya has turned to duty-free imports to cushion domestic rice prices. In 2024, a similar 500,000-tonne importation failed to lower consumer prices significantly, according to USDA data.
“It’s déjà vu—with the same flawed outcomes,” the economist added. “These imports only enrich cartels while farmers drown in debt.”
Worse still, the waiver of the 35% import duty translates to a direct revenue loss for the Treasury—at a time when Kenyans are burdened by rising taxes and inflation.
Beyond Economics: A Sovereignty Crisis
For many, the implications go beyond simple market dynamics.
“Food isn’t just about hunger—it’s about sovereignty,” said Ogolla. “Nations like China, the U.S., and Japan treat agriculture as a security pillar. We must begin to do the same.”
Analysts warn that continuous reliance on imports threatens not just farmers, but also industries tied to agriculture—ranging from transport and milling to packaging and retail.
Call to Action: Prioritize Local Production
In response, Team EVOLVE and a growing coalition of stakeholders are demanding urgent interventions:
- Immediate withdrawal of Gazette Notice No. 10353
- Reinstatement of import duties to protect local producers
- Heavy investment in irrigation, mechanization, and value chain development
- Policy support for private-sector involvement in production and distribution
- A comprehensive national rice self-sufficiency strategy by 2030
“Kenya cannot afford to be a country that imports what it can produce,” Ogolla concluded. “We must shift from reactive policies to visionary planning—because our food future depends on it.”
As the new harvest season begins, so does a defining moment for Kenya’s agricultural destiny.
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