Maize shortage in Kenya

Kenya’s second key player in its economic growth is Agriculture. Though the country always experience harsh weather conditions, Kenyan agriculture is still considered a key economic player. Despite that, Kenya still faces food shortage. Maize stocks are only expected to be available over a short period of time due to a low productivity rate from the previous season. With irregular weather patterns and late distribution of subsidized fertilizers to farmers at hand, Kenya now faces Maize shortage.

Irregular rain patterns and late distribution of fertilizers to farmers have taken their toll on Kenya’s maize production.  Following a deficit of 10 million bags from last season’s output, Kenya prepares to import crops from neighboring countries to save its constituents from imminent starvation.

Felix Koskei, Kenya’s Agriculture Secretary states that following the expected shortage of maize by May, the country is now expecting to receive three million bags of crops through cross border trade from East African communities such as Uganda and Tanzania.

The agriculture secretary says there will be a two-month crop shortage this coming June and July which will be aided by imports. Intense implementation on the agricultural element of the Kenya Vision 2030 will also help in preparation for the looming massive food shortage. There have been reports that one factor that contributed to the upcoming shortage is the late distribution of fertilizers to farmers – a information that officials are now seriously dealing with.

Currently, the main priority by the Kenyan government is massive importation of crops through East African cross border trade. Kenya now offers an open market with Tanzania to alleviate the upcoming deficiency – following the latter’s willingness to sell their crops to the former.

Tanzania’s Agriculture Secretary Sophia Kaduma states that they have already exported their first 850,000 bags. Imports from Uganda are also on their way to the troubled country. But, delays on the part of Kenya’s purchasing officials particularly from Trans Nzoia have resulted to oversupply.

Despite the looming shortage, Kenya still rules out issuing import licenses for Maize. Koskei states that issuing import licenses is not an option for now. Such licenses are given on extreme situations where Kenya will not charge import fees denying the latter a revenue. Such decision means that Kenya will still receive import duty revenue in which World Bank have estimated to be about $280 million. This revenue will also help ease the country’s suffering. The profit can be used in providing relief to Kenyans who will be directly affected by the upcoming insufficiency in crops. As maize is the most affordable and common food among Kenyans, it is not a surprise that the Kenyan government is taking this matters seriously. With foreign imports on their way, the country now has something to fall back on but the officials know that it will only be for a short term. Kenyan government must also take bolder steps to preemptively strike the problem before it even hit if another food shortage will come into play in the near future.


Humphrey Kariuki Ndegwa is the Founder and CEO of Dalbit International, a group of companies and subsidiaries engaged in petroleum supply in Africa. Humphrey’s brand of leadership has often been commended for being inclusive of the views of his workforce.