By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, 20 November 2025 - President William Ruto has defended his administration’s investment in agricultural reforms, saying the strategy has significantly lowered food prices, improved farmer earnings and enhanced national food security.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address, the President said the high cost of living that drove Kenyans to streets with empty sufurias in 2022 could only be addressed through long-term, sustainable interventions, but not temporary consumer subsidies.
Dr Ruto said that from the outset, his government adopted a deliberate shift to subsidise production rather than consumption, arguing that agriculture sits at the centre of Kenya’s economic transformation.
“Agriculture is not just another sector. It is the lifeline of our nation. If we were to stabilise prices, create jobs, expand industry and spur exports, then agriculture had to be the fulcrum of our transformation agenda,” he said.
To streamline the sector, the government launched the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), an integrated digital platform to register farmers. The number of farmers listed has jumped from fewer than 300,000 in 2022 to more than 7.1 million today.
This digital visibility, he said, has enabled the government to deliver targeted interventions while eliminating cartels, middlemen and brokers who have long manipulated agricultural markets.
One of the flagship initiatives has been the fertiliser subsidy programme. So far, more than 21 million bags of subsidised fertiliser have been distributed nationwide, lowering prices by nearly two-thirds and saving farmers an estimated KSh 105 billion.
This year alone, farmers received 7 million bags of fertiliser and 35 million kilogrammes of certified seeds. The government plans to distribute 12.5 million bags in 2026 across all 1,450 wards.
According to the President, the impact has been “phenomenal.” National maize production has increased from 44 million bags in 2022 to 67 million bags in 2024, with projections of a historic 70 million bags this year.
As a result, the price of a 2kg packet of maize flour has dropped from KSh 250 two years ago to as low as KSh 130 today.
Across other agricultural value chains, Dr Ruto cited similar gains. Tea earnings have risen from KSh138 billion in 2022 to KSh215 billion in 2024, a 56% jump.
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The coffee sub-sector, once on the brink of collapse, has been revitalised through distribution of 50,000 seedlings and reforms that have lifted farmer earnings from KSh 70 per kilo to between KSh 120 and KSh 150.
Coffee exports are expected to grow from 48,000 to 60,000 metric tonnes this year, with a long-term target of 150,000 tonnes in three years.
Edible oil production, he noted, has expanded by 90% since 2022, lowering the import bill by KSh 17 billion in one year. By 2027, the government aims to cut the bill by half, saving about KSh60 billion in foreign exchange.
Cotton production has also nearly tripled, while the distribution of 900,000 cashew nut seedlings and one million coconut seedlings has boosted output in coastal counties.
In the sugar industry, acreage under cane has increased by 200,000 acres and production has risen by 76% to over 815,000 metric tonnes, reducing sugar imports by 70%. The government has since leased Nzoia, Muhoroni, SoNy and Chemelil sugar factories to private operators to strengthen efficiency and competitiveness.
The livestock value chain has similarly recorded growth. Leather exports are up 56 per cent to KSh 2.5 billion, local shoe production now stands at more than 11 million pairs annually, and meat exports have climbed 45% to KSh 12.9 billion. In the dairy sector, milk production has grown to 5.3 billion litres, while exports have nearly doubled to KSh 9.4 billion.
To support dairy farmers, the government has installed 230 new milk coolers, vaccinated nearly 8 million animals and enhanced vaccine production through KEVEVAPI, which manufactured a record 94 million doses this year. The cost of sexed semen has also been lowered from KSh8,000 per dose to KSh1,000.
President Ruto said the combined impact of these reforms is clear: “We have enhanced food security, raised farmer incomes, driven agro-industrialisation and expanded Kenya’s export footprint.”
He described the achievements as evidence of the administration’s commitment to sustainable development as outlined under Article 10 of the Constitution.
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