President William Ruto has announced that Kenya has become Africa’s largest milk producer, with annual production increasing from approximately 4.5 billion litres to 5.6 billion litres. The President attributed the growth to government interventions in the agricultural sector, including subsidised fertiliser, which he said had reduced production costs and enabled farmers to increase fodder and silage production. Speaking during the Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit at the Jamhuri Park ASK Showground in Nairobi on Thursday, October 8, Ruto said the increase in milk production reflected broader improvements in the country’s agricultural output. He added that the increase in prices had been accompanied by higher production, with milk output reaching 5.6 billion litres in 2025.
Government Credits Fertiliser Subsidies for Agricultural Growth
Ruto said the government had subsidised 38 million bags of fertiliser since 2022, bringing the price down from KSh 7,500 to KSh 2,000 per bag. According to the President, the intervention had helped farmers access affordable farm inputs while reducing the influence of middlemen who allegedly contributed to high fertiliser prices.
He explained that lower fertiliser costs had also supported fodder and silage production, helping dairy farmers improve animal nutrition and increase milk yields. The President further reported that average milk production per cow had increased from 2.5 kilogrammes to more than 5.6 kilogrammes daily, which he attributed to improved access to agricultural inputs and increased productivity.
Maize, Rice and Cotton Production Record Growth
The President highlighted improvements in other agricultural subsectors, including maize, rice and cotton. He said maize production had risen from 34.3 million bags in 2022 to approximately 71 million bags in 2025. Cotton yields also increased from 177 kilogrammes to 378 kilogrammes per acre, while rice production grew from 192,299 tonnes to more than 300,000 tonnes.
Ruto argued that increasing output from the same piece of land could lower production costs per unit without necessarily reducing farmers’ earnings. He said the government intended to sustain these gains as part of efforts to make food more affordable while protecting farmers’ incomes.
Government to Settle New KCC, Coffee and Sugar Debts
On the dairy sector, Ruto announced that the government would pay KSh 8 billion owed by New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New KCC) to strengthen the company’s operations and improve its ability to serve milk farmers. He also said the government would clear outstanding debts amounting to KSh 2.8 billion in the coffee sector and KSh 1.8 billion in the sugar industry through the next Supplementary Budget.
In the coffee sector, the President reported that reforms had increased the average cherry price from KSh 78.99 to KSh 114.17 per kilogramme, exceeding the guaranteed minimum return of KSh 100. Meanwhile, he said sugar factory workers and sugarcane farmers were receiving their payments on time, with some farmers also benefiting from bonuses.
Nine Million Farmers Registered on Digital Platform
Ruto said the government had mapped and registered nine million farmers on a digital platform to improve agricultural planning and the delivery of services.
He added that the Agricultural Finance Corporation had disbursed KSh 19.9 billion to more than 218,000 beneficiaries over the past four years.
The digital registration initiative is intended to provide the government with better information about farmers and support the implementation of agricultural programmes.
Ruto Raises Concern Over Food Import Bill
Despite the reported gains, the President acknowledged that Kenya continued to face significant food security challenges. He said the country’s annual food import bill had increased two-and-a-half times to approximately $3 billion, largely driven by imports of edible oil, wheat and rice. Ruto warned that dependence on imported food exposed Kenya to international price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions and droughts affecting other countries. He maintained that increasing domestic production would help reduce the country’s exposure to external shocks and improve food affordability.
Government Targets 2.5 Million Acres Under Irrigation
The President also outlined plans to expand irrigation as part of the government’s long-term food security strategy. He said the area under irrigation had increased from 664,000 acres to 778,636 acres over the past four years. The government plans to develop large, medium-sized and small dams through the National Infrastructure Fund, with the objective of expanding the area under irrigation to 2.5 million acres.
The initiative is expected to support agricultural production by reducing dependence on rainfall and enabling farmers to grow crops more consistently. The Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit brought together more than 10,000 participants, including farmers, agribusiness representatives, agronomists, scientists, researchers and innovators. The gathering focused on reviewing progress in the agricultural sector and identifying strategies to strengthen food production and improve national food security.
