Kenya could soon be forced to urgently adjust its national food policy, as several counties in the North Rift region — often referred to as the country’s breadbasket — are abandoning staple food crops in favour of cash crops.
According to a new report tabled at the Senate, top food crop-producing counties in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya, led by Uasin Gishu, are gradually moving towards long-term monoculture farming, such as coffee and pyrethrum.
This shift away from seasonal staple foods, such as maize and beans, which are relied upon by millions of Kenyans for consumption, could ultimately disrupt national strategies aimed at commercialising agriculture, reducing malnutrition and ensuring domestic food security.
The Uasin Gishu county government, for example, has invested significantly in agricultural transformation, particularly in coffee production, as revealed in a report presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries last week.
A farmer in Eburu, Gigil sub-county tends to her pyrethrum crop in her farm.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
The report focused on the implementation of projects and programmes undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness, Livestock Development and Fisheries, and the Natural Resources and Climate Change division, for the financial years 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26.
During this period, the Agriculture department’s approved budget increased from Sh602.12 million in the 2023/24 financial year to Sh713.73 million in the 2024/25 financial year, and then to Sh767.54 million in the 2025/26 financial year.
The corresponding absorption rates were 60.89 per cent, 67.41 per cent and 62.9 per cent, respectively, as reported to the Committee by Senator David Wakoli (Bungoma).
In the 2025/26 financial year, the report indicated that major investments included the construction of a coffee processing plant in Kamagut, valued at Sh34.4 million. Construction of the plant is 60 per cent complete, and it is projected to benefit at least 15,000 farmers.
The Sh31.5 million investment in a potato processing plant, which is fully constructed and equipped and awaiting commissioning, is expected to benefit 12,000 farmers. The company also invested Sh60 million in the distribution of coffee seedlings as part of the High Value Crops project across the county.
Ward projects of more than Sh18 million included purchase of coffee seeds and tubes in Soy (Sh1 million), the distribution of high-value crop seeds in Sergoit (Sh500,000), promotional crops in Karuna/Meibeki (Sh500,000), value-added crops (purchase of coffee seedlings) in Megun (Sh1.8 million), coffee seedlings in Moi’s Bridge (Sh324,140) and pyrethrum splits in Tarakwa (Sh500,000), among others.
“Overall, the report demonstrates that the county government of Uasin Gishu has made significant investments in agricultural transformation through infrastructure development, value addition, farmer organisation, climate-smart agriculture, livestock development, disease control, mechanisation, financial inclusion, and market-oriented interventions,” the report stated.
The report detailed budget performance, project implementation, key achievements, the number of beneficiaries reached, progress under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, and the major challenges encountered and measures undertaken to improve implementation.
It also highlighted the status of projects and programmes implemented by the county’s Agriculture and Natural Resources and Climate Change departments over the last three years, from 2023 to 2026.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii acknowledged this change, stating that counties which were initially known for producing food crops “are moving on”.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“Nandi and Trans Nzoia are moving towards cash crops. I do not know what will happen,” he said.
He was responding to concerns expressed by nominated senator Hezena Lemaletian over the diminishing status of Uasin Gishu as Kenya’s bread basket.
“It is difficult for Kenya to buy maize from Uganda due to aflatoxin contamination. Are you telling us that we will no longer be able to buy maize from you?” said Senator Lemaletian.
The Committee Vice Chairperson, Alexander Mundigi, asked if the Uasin Gishu County Government had adequately consulted with other counties.
“You are moving Uasin Gishu away from maize production towards coffee production. Have you done any benchmarking or research?” Mundigi asked.
Mr Bii explained that his administration had invested in high-quality ‘certified seedlings’, identifying Ruiru 11 and Batian through extensive research.
The governor also alluded to the high cash crop yields as another motivator for counties in the North Rift to venture into coffee production.
“We compare ourselves to Central Kenya. We hear they are paid billions of dollars. We said we would not be left behind. We do not know about cartels. We just hear about them,” he said.
However, despite the significant investment in transforming agriculture, the county has yet to develop a food policy to help anticipate and mitigate losses.
In response to a question from nominated senator Catherine Mumma regarding the food policy, the county admitted that it is presently ‘a work in progress’.
The shift from staple food production to cash crop farming in key counties could ultimately undermine national self-sufficiency and jeopardise the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development’s goals on national food security. If realised, the long-term effects would include a loss of diversification in local farming, with farmers replacing seasonal crops such as maize and beans with long-term crops such as coffee and tea.
It could also result in tied-up cash, as crops occupy the land for more than a year. This would lead to the complete elimination of the seasonal cultivation cycles needed for local food production.
Another effect could be market dependency, where families stop growing their own food and rely entirely on buying from markets.
This would make them vulnerable to global price changes, domestic food shortages and delayed payments.
In terms of national policy, it would mean decreased production of staple foods as regions known for grain production reduce the amount of land allocated to food crops.
As food shortages grow, Kenya will be forced to rely on expensive food import programmes to feed its population, rather than fortifying local and regional food reserves.
