Introduced by the Portuguese in 1700, later cultivated by large scale farmers in Colonial Kenya with heavy government involvement, Maize has always had a special place in the socio-political fabric of Kenya. Maize production, pricing and utilization is a polarizing topic in Kenya. Smallholder farmers dominate the production of maize, accounting for more than 75% of the maize crop and 37% (2.1 million hectares) of all cropping area with annual production totaling 3.3 million MT. However, yields are dropping and Kenya isn’t self-sufficient, importing between 200,000 to 1.3m MT annually to meet its requirements. Maize production in Kenya is mainly rain-fed with mechanization limited to large and medium scale farms (25% of production area).  Yields have declined from 2.2 metric tons (MT) per hectare in 1990s to between 1.4. Total area under maize production is declining mostly due to crop abandonment in favor of sugarcane, avocado and macadamia. Annual per capita consumption for Maize has dropped from a peak of 120kg per capita in the 1970’s to a projected 67kg per capita  for a total demand of 4 million MT in 2022 owing to supply constraints and shifting consumer preferences. Emerging trends show consumers substituting potatoes, pulses, and other cereals (especially wheat and rice) for maize. Persistent scarcity will lead to price increases that will increase food insecurity and potential civil strife.

At #SAFIC, we want to have a deep conversation supported by data and evidence, on Maize; The past, present and future. Key questions that need answers include:

  1. How do we re-engineer our food system to reduce our over reliance on maize through cropland substitution with more adaptable cereal grains or adoption of alternative sources of calories in our diets.
  2. Where should we be planting maize in Kenya, when we consider the state of our soil fertility, soil PH and fertilizer utilization.
  3. What are the biggest drivers of declining yields and production in Kenya, and what is the evidence to support those claims.
  4. How do we reverse the productivity decline? Should we even plant maize in Kenya when we can import it cheaply from other countries in the region?

Do you want to have your say, share data and co-create solutions?