This archive report was first published on 28 August 2021.
Kenya's cereal producers are sounding the alarm over the country's growing reliance on imports from Tanzania, particularly maize, which has exceeded exports for the first time in decades.
According to data from Kenya's agriculture ministry, the country imported maize valued at Ksh4.2 billion ($38.18 million) from Tanzania in 2019, with imports from Uganda and Tanzania accounting for about 95 percent of the total in 2020.
However, in January 2021, Kenya imported over 450,000 bags (90kg) of maize from both Tanzania and Uganda, followed by another 300,000 bags in February, sparking concerns among cereal producers that prolonged importation of foodstuffs and related produce has eroded the Kenyan tax base.
Anthony Kioko, the chief executive of the Cereals Growers Association (CGA), warned that the country should not import what it can produce locally, as every metric tonne of grain or produce imported means exporting a few jobs.
Kioko's concerns were echoed by Kipkorir Arap Menjo, director of the Kenyan Farmers Association, who questioned the renegotiation of bilateral and EAC protocols on food commodities, citing the country's ability to produce maize, onions, vegetables, milk, and sugar.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Hamadi Boga defended the country's move to import maize, citing a maize deficit during the January-July period, which necessitates imports. However, Kenyan farmers remain skeptical, arguing that importation should be dictated by market forces rather than bilateral agreements and East African Community protocols.
