By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, June 30, 2026 - The government has launched a major market intervention programme to purchase more than 70,000 bags of locally produced rice from Mwea, in a bid to ease storage pressure, improve farmers' cash flow and strengthen Kenya's domestic rice value chain.
The initiative is being implemented jointly by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), and farmers' cooperatives led by the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MRGM).
The intervention comes as farmers prepare for the next harvest while thousands of bags from the previous season remain in storage due to limited market access.
During an inspection tour of rice stores in Mwea, Acting AFA Director General Calistus Kundu reaffirmed the government's commitment to providing a reliable market for locally produced rice, saying the move is part of broader efforts to boost domestic rice production and reduce reliance on imports.
KNTC Managing Director Lucy Anangwe said the corporation has committed to purchasing all locally produced rice currently held by farmers' cooperatives. Deliveries are expected to continue until mid-August, after which the rice will be supplied to public institutions across the country.
"We are here to assess the situation on the ground and reassure farmers that the government remains committed to supporting the marketing of locally produced rice. KNTC is fully committed to mopping up the rice produced by farmers," Anangwe said.
According to officials, the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society, which represents more than 80 per cent of rice farmers in the region, currently has over 30,000 bags in storage and expects an additional 25,000 bags from the ongoing third crop season. Self-help groups are holding more than 15,000 bags, bringing the total volume targeted under the programme to over 70,000 bags.
To speed up the exercise, KNTC and the cooperative have agreed on a delivery schedule of at least two truckloads of rice per day. The milling plant will also introduce a third processing shift, increasing daily milling capacity to 56 tonnes while creating additional employment opportunities.
MRGM Chief Executive Officer Anthony Waweru said marketing delays had affected payments to farmers but expressed optimism that the government's intervention would restore normal operations.
"We had expected to pay farmers earlier, but marketing challenges delayed the process. With KNTC now taking up the rice, we expect to clear the current stock within a month and begin paying farmers by July 20," Waweru said.
Officials said the programme is intended to improve farmers' incomes, strengthen the local rice value chain and support Kenya's long-term strategy of meeting growing national rice demand through increased domestic production alongside strategic imports.
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