Lake Basin Development Authority Chairperson Wycliffe Ochiaga (in glasses) learns how to operate a drone when the agency introduced aerial spraying of rice at Kimira Oluch Smallholder Farmer Improvement Project in Rachuonyo North in Homa Bay County on December 16,2025.
James Tindi loves rice production.
His home in Oriang Village, Central Karachuonyo Ward, has several parcels of land that can support rice farming, and most of his neighbours grow the crop around their homes.
However, not all arable land in the region is used for crop production, and farmers struggle to find more space to grow rice and support the government’s food security agenda. Some of the open spaces are public land, while several parcels suitable for farming have remained idle for years, with residents using them only for grazing.
To increase their incomes, some residents lease land from neighbours at Sh3,000 per acre when owners have no intention of using the parcels during certain seasons. However, this only drives up production costs.
“Most of the land we hire is in poor condition before rice is planted. A farmer must clear vegetation from previous planting, cultivate the land and carry out other practices such as rotovation, all of which increase the cost of production,” Mr Tindi explains.
In the village, most rice farmers spend up to Sh50,000 on inputs to cultivate half an acre of land, which is divided into four rice paddocks measuring 50 metres by 50 metres each.
To overcome the financial burden, farmers often take shortcuts in an effort to secure good returns after selling the crop. Mr Tindi says rice farmers use uncertified seeds by recycling grain harvested from previous seasons.
While this practice helps farmers save on seed costs, it leads to low yields.
“Some farmers also avoid using fertiliser to cut costs, but this affects overall production,” he says.
The government has noted the challenges rice farmers face in the region and the mistakes they make during production and has stepped in to offer support. An initiative has been introduced allowing farmers to use government land for crop production.
During cultivation, farmers receive expert advice and certified inputs, which is expected to increase rice production. The programme is supported by the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA).
Rice paddies in Kibiri in Rachuonyo North in Homa Bay County on November 28, 2025.
LBDA Managing Director Wycliffe Ochiaga says the agency has invested at least Sh5 million in Rachuonyo North and partnered with several organisations to support the rice value chain in the region.
Kenya has a significant annual rice deficit estimated at more than 770,000 metric tonnes. Data from LBDA shows the country produces only about half of what it consumes, with the balance imported.
The objective of the project is to enhance local rice production. Part of the initiative involves expanding the acreage under rice by allowing farmers to cultivate idle but arable government land.
LBDA has more than 4,000 acres of open land in Homa Bay County that can be used for farming. Residents are encouraged to engage their chiefs to be listed as beneficiaries and allocated parcels based on production capacity.
Farmers like Mr Tindi will no longer need to lease land to expand production.
Other initiatives include the rehabilitation of a three-kilometre canal that will supply water to 2,700 acres of farmland in Rachuonyo North under the Kimira Oluch Smallholder Farmer Improvement Project (KOSFIP).
“We want this programme to create job opportunities for the youth and increase incomes. We also want to demonstrate that we can produce quality rice locally,” Mr Ochiaga says.
LBDA has signed memoranda of understanding with agricultural, technological and financial organisations including Syngenta, Greentech Hub Limited, Hari, NCBA and Equity Bank to support the rice value chain in Rachuonyo North.
Farmers will benefit from certified inputs, financial advice and technical support as LBDA improves production infrastructure. Modern technologies such as drones for spraying crops and scaring birds will also be introduced.
Through the partnership, farmers will be advised on the type and quantity of inputs to use. Agency officials will also be able to trace where milled rice is produced and adjust quality based on consumer feedback.
“We target more than 10,000 acres of rice farms beyond KOSFIP by mid next year,” Mr Ochiaga says.
He explains that the initiative will increase rice yields from the current two tonnes per acre to more than four tonnes, generating profits of over Sh70,000 within the three to four months the crop takes to mature.
He notes that land is the biggest asset in rice production and urges farmers to take advantage of the opportunity.
Stephen Otieno, a rice farmer in Kanyariro village in Kogweno Kowuor location in Rachuonyo North Sub-county demonstrates how to use a hand held tractor used in cultivation.
Besides providing land, the agency has introduced mechanisation, enabling farmers to use drones to spray herbicides. Rice farmers in Rangwe and Karachuonyo are among the first to adopt the technology.
Apart from spraying, drones drive away birds that damage rice fields by producing buzzing sounds from their propeller blades. They can also be used for aerial mapping to determine farm sizes.
Mr Ochiaga says modern technology is among the most effective ways of controlling destructive birds and warns that failure to adapt will continue hurting farmers.
“Farmers should maximise profits after harvest by using machines. They need to embrace drones to enhance agricultural production,” he says.
Rice takes at least four months to mature. In Nyanza, particularly in Ahero and Kochia, farmers traditionally spend long hours in rice fields or hire people to scare birds away using noise or other methods, which are often ineffective.
Children are sometimes involved in bird scaring, affecting school attendance, Mr Ochiaga notes.
Use of drones improves efficiency by covering large areas quickly and reducing labour needs.
“Mechanisation in crop production, whether spraying herbicides or other activities, saves labour and ensures precision, reducing pesticide waste,” he explains.
Farmers will pay a fee for drone spraying services, with costs recovered after harvest once supporting groups deduct their share.
Meanwhile, LBDA has put mechanisms in place to ensure rice from the region is processed and marketed. The agency operates a rice milling plant in Kibos, Kisumu County, with a capacity of four tonnes per hour, or 28,000 metric tonnes annually, and also produces poultry feed ingredients.
“We are confident that technology and expert support will enable farmers to earn more than Sh100,000 per acre,” Mr Ochiaga says.
LBDA also plans to support the edible oil value chain to reduce imports and promote rotational crops as rice fields prepare for the next planting cycle.
Greentech Hub Limited Head of Operations Hellen Orwa says the initiative will help bridge the rice import gap.
“I appeal for cooperation from farmers. We need to move with speed to achieve our goal,” she says.
Farmers are already optimistic about the project’s impact. Kimira Irrigation Scheme vice-chairperson Samuel Odiao says farmers have long hoped to see swampy areas converted into productive rice farms.
He urges farmers to register as beneficiaries, noting that input costs will be met by partners and recovered after harvest.
So far, about 1,400 farmers have registered.
“We will utilise every available space for rice production. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we will not waste,” he says.
Bernard Otieno, a rice farmer in Central Karachuonyo, urges farmers to join savings and credit cooperative societies to invest for the future and strengthen their bargaining power.
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