By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 17 July 2026 - The Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) is embarking on one of western Kenya's most ambitious paddy rice expansion drives, optimistic that a sharp increase in acreage under irrigation will not only reduce the country's heavy reliance on imported rice but also inject millions of shillings into rural economies.
The State corporation plans to expand paddy cultivation in the Oluch-Kimira Irrigation Scheme in Homa Bay County from the current 5,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares by mid-March next year, a four-fold increase that signals a shift towards commercial-scale rice production in the Lake Region.
Addressing the press in Kisumu, Lbda Managing Director Wycliffe Ochiaga said the programme is designed to transform rice farming into a profitable enterprise for thousands of smallholder farmers while strengthening Kenya's food security.
"The objective is to commercialise agriculture, improve productivity, increase household incomes and expand market opportunities for our farmers," Ochiaga said.
The expansion comes as Kenya continues to grapple with a structural rice deficit. Domestic production meets only a fraction of national demand, forcing the country to import substantial quantities of rice annually, mainly from Asian producers. While consumption has risen steadily because of changing dietary preferences and urbanisation, local output has struggled to keep pace, exposing the country to volatile international prices and foreign exchange pressures.
LBDA believes increasing irrigated acreage across the Lake Basin could become part of the long-term solution.
The Authority has already cultivated 5,000 hectares under the Oluch-Kimira scheme and is preparing to bring an additional 15,000 hectares into production. Higher acreage, combined with improved agronomic practices and irrigation, is expected to raise yields significantly while creating economies of scale in processing and marketing.
The economic impact is already becoming evident.
Ochiaga said farmers harvested enough paddy over the past month to earn between Sh14 to Sh17 million, with payments made directly at collection centres where produce is weighed before transportation to the LBDA rice milling plant in Kibos, Kisumu County.
Farmers currently receive Sh55 per kilogramme, equivalent to Sh55,000 per tonne.
He said the Authority could raise the buying price to Sh60,000 per tonne should market conditions improve, providing additional incentives for farmers to increase production.
The initiative extends well beyond Homa Bay.
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According to Ochiaga, farmers in Budalangi, Ahero, East Kano, West Kano and the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme in Nyatike, Migori County, are also benefiting from the expanded rice programme.
Over the past two months alone, LBDA has channelled nearly **Sh50 million** directly to farmers through paddy purchases, creating a steady cash flow into rural households and stimulating local commerce.
That injection of income is significant in counties where agriculture remains the backbone of local economies. Increased earnings typically ripple through transport, retail trade, farm input suppliers and financial services, multiplying the economic impact beyond the farm gate.
The Authority is simultaneously strengthening the rice value chain through organised aggregation, milling and marketing, reducing post-harvest losses while giving farmers assured markets.
The strategy reflects a broader policy shift from subsistence farming towards commercially driven agriculture, with irrigation seen as a critical tool for stabilising production against increasingly erratic rainfall.
Western Kenya has traditionally dominated irrigated rice production, with Busia and Kisumu among the country's leading producers. However, Migori is emerging as a new frontier, particularly around the fertile Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme in Nyatike, where favourable soils and reliable water supply offer strong production potential.
If successfully implemented, the expansion could reinforce Kenya's broader food security agenda by increasing domestic rice supplies, reducing import dependence and retaining more agricultural spending within the local economy.
For LBDA, the programme represents more than an agricultural project. It is an economic development strategy aimed at raising rural per capita incomes, creating employment across the value chain and positioning rice as a commercial crop capable of driving inclusive growth across the Lake Region.
With demand for rice continuing to outpace domestic supply, the Authority's aggressive acreage expansion could become an important test of whether targeted public investment in irrigation and value addition can help narrow one of Kenya's most persistent food production gaps while delivering lasting prosperity to smallholder farmers.