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This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe announced plans to import 25 million 90kg bags of maize to avert a national food shortage
- Kenya consumes about 75 million bags annually, but climate-related crop failures are expected to create a significant production gap
- Kagwe made the announcement during a joint NAVCDP and FSRP meeting in Mombasa on August 18, 2026
Kenya is moving to import 25 million 90kg bags of maize following projections that drought and climate-related crop failures will significantly reduce domestic production this year.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe disclosed that the government has already begun making arrangements to secure the imports, stating that Kenyans should not be alarmed about food availability.
"We will import maize. We have already made arrangements for that. We will manage the country. The country is not going to go hungry," Kagwe said.
Kenya's maize supply gap
Speaking on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, during a joint NAVCDP and FSRP meeting held in Mombasa, Kagwe said the country consumes approximately 75 million bags of maize each year.
He warned that production is on course to fall short by roughly 25 million bags owing to drought and other climatic pressures in major maize-growing regions.
To bridge the deficit, the CS said the government would also work alongside the National Treasury to reduce taxes and cut through bureaucratic barriers that currently slow down investment in farming and agribusiness.
Irrigation infrastructure, particularly the Galana Kulalu scheme, was cited by Kagwe as a long-term solution to reducing Kenya's exposure to drought-induced food insecurity.
He said such projects would be central to strengthening the country's food production capacity going forward.
Counties and youth urged to lead on Agriculture
Council of Governors Agriculture Committee chair Ken Lusaka, also present at the Mombasa meeting, called on young Kenyans to channel their energy into agriculture, smart farming, value addition and agribusiness rather than be sidetracked by electioneering politics.
"Elections will come and go, but people must eat," Lusaka said.
Both national and county governments are working towards building more resilient food systems through stronger agricultural value chains, digital extension services and youth-led agribusiness ventures.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Asher Omondi (Copyeditor) Asher Omondi is currently the Head of Business Desk at TUKO.co.ke. He has over seven years of experience in digital media. Previously, he had worked in various organisations both as a social media manager and a monitor (FEMNET, Ghafla Kenya). He was a Broadcast Journalism student at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication class of 2013. You can reach Asher at asher.omondi@tuko.co.ke.
Harrison Kivisu (Mombasa freelance reporter) Harrison Kivisu is a TUKO.co.ke correspondent based in Mombasa County. He has a wide range of experience reporting in both print and electronic media, spanning over 10 years. Harrison reports on politics, governance, business and sports. He holds professional journalism training certificates from different institutions in Kenya. Email: Kivisumbungu@gmail.com
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.