Agriculture and Food Authority — government agency involved in duty-free rice imports oversight, pyrethrum sector regulations, rice stock clearance, and cotton value chain development.
… The court directed the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to file detailed responses on the implementatio …
… ernment to make public details of the duty-free importation of 490,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice amidst protests from rice farmers.Justice Alfred Mabeya certified the matter urgent and directed the ministry of Treasury, Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Authority …
… Farmers from different counties on Wednesday met in Nakuru for the validation process of the draft regulations spearheaded by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA). …
… The exercise, being undertaken jointly by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and farmers' cooperatives led by Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society, comes as farmers prepare for another harvest while thousands of b …
… Subscribe to our newsletterThe crisis has also been aggravated by timing decisions within the regulatory framework.The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) opened the harvesting season on February 1, earlier than the recommended period. …
… The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has licensed approximately 40 processors with a combined installed capacity estimated at nearly 200,000 metric tonnes annually. …
… Speaking at KALRO Seeds in Thika on Wednesday after a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Mt Kenya Macadamia Cooperative Society chairman Gitonga Gathua said farmers are facing serious hardships due to a backlog of unsold produce.Gathua sai …
The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has singled out the cotton sector as key to the economy, saying its value chain has the potential to create more jobs for youth in the country. …
… Londiani MCA Vincent Korir also criticised the planned entry of the company into the coffee business, calling on the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFFA), the county government and other regulators to block what he termed unlawful operations. …
Kenya's High Court in Kisumu has ordered top government officials to account within seven days for the country's duty-free rice importation programme after Ahero rice farmers challenged the policy for lack of transparency and public participation. The court directed the Cabinet Secretaries for Treasury and Agriculture, the KRA and AFA to file detailed responses on the implementation of the Gazette Notice authorizing duty-free importation of 490,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice by November 30.
Why it matters
High Court's order for the state to account for duty-free rice imports within seven days directly addresses transparency and public participation concerns on a major agricultural policy.
Kenya's High Court in Kisumu has ordered top government officials to account within seven days for the country's duty-free rice importation programme after Ahero rice farmers challenged the policy for lack of transparency and public participation. The court directed the Cabinet Secretaries for Treasury and Agriculture, the KRA and AFA to file detailed responses on the implementation of the Gazette Notice authorizing duty-free importation of 490,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice by November 30.
Kenya's High Court in Kisumu has ordered the government to disclose details of a duty-free importation scheme for 490,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice, directing the Treasury, Agriculture Ministry, AFA and KRA to account for the programme within seven days following a petition by the Ahero Rice Farmers Association.
Pyrethrum farmers have welcomed draft regulations from the Agriculture and Food Authority aimed at reviving the crop sector through stakeholder registration, licensing, and marketing controls. Farmers cited poor pricing and exploitation in the value chain as current obstacles, and the government has moved the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya to the National Treasury for commercial repositioning.
The government, through KNTC, AFA, and farmers' cooperatives, is clearing over 60,000 bags of Mwea rice to ease storage constraints and improve farmers' cash flow as new harvests approach. The exercise aims to strengthen Kenya's domestic rice value chain and ensure farmers have a dependable market.
A sharp decline in macadamia quality linked to premature harvesting, weak pest control, and poor post-harvest handling has left more than 200,000 smallholder farmers across Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Embu and Meru unable to sell large volumes of produce. An informal brokerage system dominates the market, forcing farmers to harvest early for immediate income, which further compromises quality and risks Kenya's standing in the global macadamia market.
Kenya's macadamia industry confronts its most difficult period in years, with stakeholders warning that problems extend beyond export-ban debates to include declining quality, poor farm management, pest infestations, and weak global markets. Industry players argue that policy shifts focused on export restrictions miss the underlying crisis of deteriorating nut quality and reduced profitability.
Macadamia farmers are pressing for government intervention to address sector challenges, including lifting the ban on exporting raw macadamia nuts to clear mounting stockpiles on farms and in stores. The issue stems from limited processing capacity preventing farmers from selling their produce.
The Agriculture and Food Authority has identified the cotton sector as key to the economy, citing its value chain's potential to create jobs for youth. Public sector workers and schools are identified as accessible markets to promote locally manufactured garments.
Members of Kericho County Assembly have opposed a new coffee company's plans to establish pulping and buying operations, arguing it breaches the Coffee Act 2026 and threatens cooperative societies. The Majority Leader stated that allowing private entities to buy coffee cherries directly from farmers could destabilize the sector and undermine the existing Kipkelion Coffee Cooperative Union.
Port stakeholders at Mombasa have raised concerns over increased levies by government agencies, particularly a new nuclear regulatory screening requirement from KNRA that will require containerised cargo to pass through radiation monitors. The move, originally set for May 2024 but deferred to July 2026, has prompted complaints from port users about additional costs and potential delays to cargo clearance.