According to professor Fred Ogola who addressed media in Nairobi,Kenya the leading economy in the East African region should be prioritizing investment in agriculture to guarantee food security. Staple food commodities such as maize, rice,sugar, wheat, onions, tomatoes, and vegetables ought to be produced locally.Tanzania has made significant investments in rice production, achieving 2.4 million metric tonnes in 2023. Todate Tanzania produces enough rice for domestic consumption and maintains a surplus for export. This was made possible by Tanzania banning rice imports and focusing heavily
on attracting investment into the sector.
Kenya national annual rice consumption is approximately one million tons, and local
production covering only 300,000 tons, Kenya urgently needs to support domestic
production rather than expose local farmers and value chain businesses to unfair and
destructive competition.The government is being deliberate and intentional in sabotaging local rice farmers by allowing cheap, duty-free imports to flood the market every year as opposed to investing in and protecting the sector.
Professor Ogola has said Kenya’s rice producing regions have the capacity to produce over 1.5 million metric tons annually if given focused investment.By issuing this gazette notice, government officials have created a haven for cronies and unscrupulous businessmen to profit through duty free imports a decision that undermines hardworking local farmers and importers who pay taxes of up to 35% on rice.
Ogola has exposed the government of having aided similar duty-free quota of 500,000 metric tons was in force from May to November 2024,according to USDA data, the imports under that quota were lower than expected, and there was no significant decline in retail rice prices for
households. This proves that duty-free importation does not reduce prices, it only
enriches a few connected individuals.
Local rice farmers in Mwea, Ahero, and Bura have ample stocks, with harvesting ongoing until the end of December. Flooding the market with cheap imports will destroy their livelihoods, force mass job losses, and disrupt national food security.
Local traders, millers, input suppliers, logistics workers, and small retailers will suffer
unfair competition with many facing imminent closure if these imports continue unchecked given the rising operational costs and punitive taxes. This policy benefits foreign exporters and politically connected elites, not Kenyan taxpayers or producers. It creates jobs abroad, enriches a few insiders, and destroys
Kenyan livelihoods.
Team Evolve has demanded Immediate cancellation of Gazette Notice No. 10353 and the duty-free rice import quota,Reinstatement of the 35% import duty to level the playing field and protect Kenyan producers, traders, and workers,Redirection of public investment toward strengthening irrigation infrastructure,supporting local millers, cooperatives, and input suppliers, and boosting marketing and value addition under the National Rice Development Strategy.The government should Mobilize all relevant state agencies and departments to attract an integrated investment in the rice sector, not limit it to a few players or foreign governments.
TEAM “EVOLVE” has vowed to continue speaking for the common Kenyan calling on
the government to act now and cancel this harmful duty-free quota, prioritize local
production, and protect Kenya’s economic future.Furthur the team advocates for realistic transparent and time bound strategy which must be implemented to reach self sufficiency in rice production by 2030 given that local production is still a paltry 300,000 metric tons.Kenya must open up space for multiple investors instead of monopolizing the sector in favour of the government of Japan. Kenya must be built by Kenyans according to Kenyan resources all the time.
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