By Fred Obura

With the High Court set to rule on January 29, 2026, on a challenge to the Government’s decision to allow time-bound, duty-free rice imports, the State has moved to reassure farmers and consumers that domestic production is being fully supported even as the country confronts a widening food supply gap.

• The court ruling comes against a backdrop of deepening drought stress and widening supply deficits, with Kenya producing less than 20 per cent of the rice it consumes.
• By early 2026, the national rice shortfall is projected to exceed 380,000 tonnes, while demand between January and June alone is estimated at about 750,000 tonnes, leaving domestic stocks unable to meet consumption needs.
• Rice cooperatives in Mwea and other major growing regions say all locally produced rice delivered to the market has been fully taken up and paid for, easing long-standing concerns over delayed payments, stock backlogs and farmer liquidity at a time of heightened climate and price pressure.

At the centre of the legal challenge is the constitutional right to food, with the High Court being asked to balance farmer protection against the State’s obligation to ensure affordable and adequate food for all Kenyans. Government officials argue that controlled, time-bound imports are necessary to stabilise prices and prevent shortages from cascading into a broader food inflation wave affecting maize and other staples.

Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society (MRGM) chairperson Ndege Muriuki and managing director Anthony Waweru said rice offloading and payments had proceeded smoothly, with carry-over stocks falling to less than one per cent into 2026, down sharply from nearly 30 per cent the previous year.

“As of December 31, all rice delivered had been paid for, and KNTC is ready to take up all rice farmers bring,” Waweru said.

Erratic rainfall and reduced planting in key growing areas have already disrupted output, while acute food insecurity in arid and semi-arid counties is projected to rise from 1.8 million to 3.5 million people if mitigation measures stall, according to official estimates.

The Government has also pledged to purchase all paddy and milled rice offered for sale, with payments guaranteed within 30 days.

Published Date: January 27, 2026