Kenya, South Korea Begin Certified Rice-Seed Production Project

What changed

Kenya and South Korea have begun certified rice-seed production under the K-RiceBelt project at Kirogo Research Farm in Mwea, Kirinyaga County. Seedlings were first transplanted across a completed 7.2-hectare section of a planned 65-hectare site, with a target of producing 330 metric tonnes of certified seed in 2026.

Why it matters

Kenya’s rice problem is not small: annual demand is estimated at 1.3 million metric tonnes, while local production is about 305,000 tonnes, meeting roughly 23% of requirements. Better seed will not close that gap overnight, but it addresses a basic constraint that can hold farmers back before land, machinery or markets even enter the picture.

KALRO and KOPIA are implementing the project. South Korea is providing technical and infrastructure support, including mechanised cultivation and agricultural technologies. The full 65-hectare field is intended to create dedicated capacity for certified seed production and strengthen local research and technical skills.

The project supports Kenya’s ambition to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2032. Its practical test will be whether the seed reaches farmers quickly enough, and whether reliable access to it translates into higher production beyond the research farm.