Nairobi

Kenya is on the brink of a food crisis, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warns, in the aftermath of a high court decision that halted plans to import 500,000 tonnes of duty-free rice.

In a sworn affidavit before the court, Kagwe revealed that the country’s rice reserves had dipped to a perilous low—just 20,000 bags of 50 kg each. This stands in stark contrast to the roughly 350,000 bags needed to supply key government institutions.

“Failure to import rice under this shortfall would lead to either acute food scarcity or a sharp spike in prices—not just for rice, but for maize flour and wheat—triggering a domino effect on the cost of living,” Kagwe cautioned.

Kenya’s rice consumption is rising. Kagwe noted that per-capita intake is expected to hit 29 kilograms this year, with a projected population of 54.79 million. The total demand will reach about 1.5 million metric tonnes—approximately 125,000 tonnes per month.

The warning comes in response to a High Court ruling issued on August 11, which imposed a temporary freeze on the duty-free rice importation plan. The court deemed the petition filed by the Farmers Party as urgent, and ordered that the matter be heard on August 14.

In his reply, Kagwe emphasised that most of the rice planned for import—over 95 percent—is non-basmati and thus unlikely to compete with local Pishori rice, which serves a niche market. He affirmed that stabilising food supply through imports has been a long-standing policy.

High Court orders a halt to rice imports

In contrast, farmers have raised concerns that a rush of cheap rice imports could undercut local production, especially as growing volumes are stored at Mwea Rice Growers’ cooperative.

Balancing Act Ahead

Kenya now finds itself at a crossroads: balancing support for struggling rice farmers against ensuring food remains affordable and available. With stocks dwindling and the court blocking a major import intervention, households and institutions face uncertain weeks ahead.