Kenya Minute.
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Thursday, 15 October 2026
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Kenyan press · Organization

Ministry of Agriculture

Kenyan government body responsible for agricultural policy, maize imports, fertilizer subsidies, and crop/livestock production oversight.

2026-04-282026-10-15

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. April 2026
  2. Citizen Digital

    … cement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); “We want to be very clear: farmers deserve fair, transparent, and predictable pricing for their macadamia,” he said. “As an association and together with our members, we remain fully committed to the Ministry of Agriculture …

    Macadamia farmers warned against brokers as lobby group defends Ksh.100 minimum price
  3. Citizen Digital

    … h, Agriculture Economy and Financial Advisor, GIZ Kenya, David Adama, Senior Policy Officer, AGRA, Rashid Khator, Secretary of Administration in the State Department of Agriculture and Peter Owoko, Director of Policy at the State Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture …

    FINAS 2026 Summit to push for sustainable financing of Africa’s food systems
Agriculture & Land

Government warns four KTDA tea factories on poor performance

The News

The government has put four tea factories in the western Rift Valley—Kapkoros, Chebut, Litein and Mogogosiek—on notice over poor performance, warning that managers could be replaced and those implicated in corruption or mismanagement prosecuted if they fail to implement corrective measures.

13 October 2026 · Capital News →

Tuesday 13 October

  1. Government warns four KTDA tea factories on poor performance

    The government has put four tea factories in the western Rift Valley—Kapkoros, Chebut, Litein and Mogogosiek—on notice over poor performance, warning that managers could be replaced and those implicated in corruption or mismanagement prosecuted if they fail to implement corrective measures.

    13 October 2026 · Capital News →

  2. Kenya could boost maize yields by learning from Iowa farming methods

    Kenya's maize yield averaged 22 bags per acre in 2025, compared with 186 bushels per acre in the United States and 210 in Iowa, according to a KALRO and Ministry of Agriculture survey. The article suggests Kenya adopt Iowa's farming methods and improved seeds to address predicted production shortfalls from unfavourable weather.

    13 October 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 8 October

  1. High Court allows farmers to seek fertiliser compensation

    Kenya's High Court has ruled that farmers affected by poor-quality subsidised fertiliser can pursue compensation from the Ministry of Agriculture, National Cereals and Produce Board, and suppliers.

    8 October 2026 · The Standard →

  2. Githunguri MP demands transparency over Nairobi Coffee Exchange ownership

    Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has questioned the ownership and management of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, calling for full transparency on individuals controlling the institution and demanding that smallholder coffee farmers have direct ownership and management seats. She specifically called for an audit into directors Josephine Njoki and Benson Odhiambo, citing little progress since Ministry of Agriculture assurances in June 2023 to address governance anomalies at the exchange.

    8 October 2026 · The Standard →

  3. Githunguri MP urges suspension of tea export levy

    Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has called for suspension of the 0.8 per cent tea export levy implemented May 1, saying it has burdened farmers already facing declining bonuses, increased competition from neighbouring countries, and falling auction prices. The government has defended the levy as funding price stabilisation, research, infrastructure and market development.

    8 October 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 30 September

  1. Sugar workers threaten strike over 2.7 billion shillings arrears

    Kenya's sugar sector workers have threatened to strike from October 1 over Sh2.7 billion in unpaid salary arrears and terminal benefits owed to employees not absorbed in state sugar company restructuring. The Kenya Sugarcane Plantation Workers Union has demanded the government release the funds by Wednesday, warning that failure to do so will trigger industrial action that could disrupt sugar production.

    30 September 2026 · Capital News →

Tuesday 22 September

  1. Maize farmers worry as government imports 25 million bags

    The Ministry of Agriculture announced the importation of 25 million bags of maize to protect consumers from poor harvests. Maize farmers are concerned that the importation will depress prices for their remaining crops following drought losses.

    22 September 2026 · The Standard →

  2. Maize importation threatens Kenyan farmers' livelihoods post-drought

    The Ministry of Agriculture's announcement to import 25 million bags of maize to cushion consumers against poor harvests is concerning maize farmers like Maurice Kimutai in Uasin Gishu County, who had been planning to sell their surviving crops after a devastating drought.

    22 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 17 September

  1. Senate questions Kagwe on government response to milk shortage

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe told the Senate that the country's milk shortage stems from insufficient rain in high-production areas, reducing animal feed; the government is developing powder milk products and working to improve milk cooperatives, with improvement expected once rains begin. Senate members criticized the government's silence on the crisis and called for better mechanisms to convert excess milk into powder for storage during gluts.

    17 September 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 14 September

  1. USA's century-long voluntary conservation farming approach offers lessons for Kenya

    A journalist who visited the United States describes the country's over 100-year voluntary conservation programme, established after the Dust Bowl era of the 1920s-30s caused major topsoil loss. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the USDA supports farmers voluntarily adopting conservation practices to improve farm resilience and soil health, with potential lessons for Kenya's agricultural sector.

    14 September 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 3 September

  1. Government attributes milk shortage to drought ahead of El Niño

    The Ministry of Agriculture's Livestock Development PS said drought preceding anticipated El Niño rains has affected livestock pastures and limited milk production. The government has agreed to allow duty-free import of maize for animal feed and the Kenya Dairy Board will monitor pricing to ensure processors access raw material.

    3 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Friday 28 August

  1. Mwea rice farmers excluded from government fertiliser subsidy scheme

    More than 10,000 rice farmers in Mwea Irrigation Scheme say they have been excluded from the government's subsidised fertiliser programme since its inception in 2022, forcing them to buy fertiliser at more than 6,000 shillings per 50-kilogramme bag compared to the subsidised price of 2,000 shillings.

    28 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Monday 24 August

  1. Ruto's maize input subsidy takes effect in September

    President William Ruto's directive to cut maize production costs takes effect in September with a 50 per cent government subsidy on certified maize seed, reducing farmers' prices from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme, and a further reduction in subsidised fertiliser costs. The government expects to subsidise approximately 40 million kilogrammes of maize seed at a cost of about KSh6 billion.

    24 August 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 13 August

  1. Cereal growers warn Kenya faces food crisis

    The Cereal Growers Association chairman has warned that Kenya faces a food crisis driven by an inefficient market and too few investors, citing alarmingly high aflatoxin levels in maize on the market and calling for the reintroduction of agricultural extension officers to guide farmers.

    13 August 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 7 August

  1. Former spokesman praises Treasury's clear economic communication

    Former Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has commended the National Treasury, led by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, as the best-performing government ministry in public communication, noting that it effectively simplifies complex economic issues for public understanding through regular media briefings and clear explanations of policies.

    7 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 6 August

  1. Mwea rice farmers face cold, snails, fertilizer delays

    Rice farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme are contending with harsh weather forcing adjusted work schedules, snail infestations destroying seedlings, and delayed access to subsidized fertilizer, with farmers reporting colds and illnesses from prolonged exposure to cold water.

    6 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Monday 3 August

  1. Ministry encourages climate-smart farming ahead El Nino rains

    The Ministry of Environment has launched a programme to equip farmers with climate-smart farming skills and is urging them to plant short-season crops to take advantage of anticipated El Nino rains and mitigate losses from the failed maize season caused by prolonged drought.

    3 August 2026 · The Standard →

  2. Illegal pesticides persist despite enforcement increases, audit finds

    An Auditor-General audit has found that expired, counterfeit, and unregistered pesticides continue to flood Kenya's market despite a 76 percent increase in pesticide dealer inspections and a dramatic rise in seizures of illegal products over the past four years. The report faults the Pest Control Products Board for failing to revoke licenses of businesses convicted of selling illegal pesticides.

    3 August 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 25 July

  1. Farmers urge government inclusion in agricultural policy-making

    Stakeholders at a national agroecology symposium in Nairobi urged the government to support farmer, fisher, and pastoralist participation in policy decisions, citing a shift to traditional farming methods due to climate change. Kenya would require Sh46.6 billion to facilitate an effective transition to agroecology, according to Agriculture Secretary Peter Owoko.

    25 July 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 24 July

  1. CS Kagwe promotes value addition across tea and cash crops

    Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has emphasised value addition in the tea sector to boost job creation and increase farmers' earnings, speaking during the handover of a Ksh.28.7 million grant cheque to Thumaita Tea Factory in Kirinyaga County. The government is prioritising value addition across key cash crops including tea, coffee, avocado, macadamia, pyrethrum and cotton.

    24 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 23 July

  1. CS Kagwe defends Tea Levy as uptake hits record 93%

    Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe dismissed concerns that Kenya's Tea Levy is harming the tea industry, stating that tea uptake has surged to 93%, the highest in years. He argued the 0.8% levy on tea buyers—not farmers—is essential for financing research, global marketing, and value addition to secure the sector's future.

    23 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Wednesday 22 July

  1. Mudavadi assures tea farmers of government sector reforms

    Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi visited Mudete Tea Factory in Vihiga County to assure tea farmers that the government is committed to addressing challenges facing Kenya's tea industry, including high taxation, poor road infrastructure, fluctuating global prices, pests and diseases. He urged farmers to remain patient and continue investing while the government pursues policy reforms through the Ministry of Agriculture.

    22 July 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 16 July

  1. Sugarcane farmers threaten protests over delayed board elections

    Kenya's sugarcane farmer groups have threatened nationwide protests and warned they could withdraw political support for President William Ruto in 2027 over claims of a coordinated scheme by government, sugar cartels and millers to obstruct Kenya Sugar Board director elections through court cases. A Kakamega High Court judge has scheduled further directions for July 31, 2026, prolonging the legal stalemate after elections initially planned for June 25 were delayed.

    16 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 14 July

  1. Drought devastates maize crop across Kenya's key farming counties

    A severe two-month drought has struck maize-producing counties including Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Nakuru, and Bungoma, with agricultural officials reporting 60 percent crop failure in Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia. Farmers and experts warn of an acute maize shortage and scarce ugali beginning later this year, describing it as the worst season in the history of maize farming.

    14 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 7 July

  1. KETRACO opens Sh50-65 billion transmission lines PPP to public review

    Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has disclosed a public-private partnership proposal to develop five high-voltage electricity transmission lines at a cost of between Sh50 billion and Sh65 billion, with a consortium of three firms having submitted proposals for the projects.

    7 July 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. Thirteen Italian agritech firms explore Kenya partnerships

    Thirteen Italian agritech and food processing companies are in Kenya to explore partnerships aimed at modernising the agri-food value chain and cutting post-harvest losses. Between 30 and 50 per cent of agricultural produce in Africa is lost during post-harvest handling, storage, processing and packaging, according to the Italian Trade Agency.

    1 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. Fertiliser shortage forces farmers to camp at Eldoret NCPB depot

    Farmers in North Rift maize-producing counties have camped at the Eldoret NCPB depot for two weeks awaiting topdressing fertiliser (CAN), with hundreds expressing displeasure over the government's failure to supply the critical input on time. An NCPB source attributed the shortage to demands by transporters for additional pay following fuel price increases, while farmers warned the delay would result in poor harvests this season.

    2 June 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Government cracks down on informal milk hawking for safety

    The government has announced a nationwide crackdown on milk hawking as part of reforms aimed at improving food safety, protecting consumers, and restructuring Kenya's dairy industry around formal collection and processing systems. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned that unregulated raw milk poses serious health risks and undermines the country's formal dairy economy.

    20 May 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 14 May

  1. Kenya's fragmented food safety system needs urgent reform

    Kenya has experienced recurring food safety crises, including a recent recall of peanut butter brands with aflatoxin levels far exceeding legal limits. The opinion piece argues that the country's food safety regulation is spread across multiple fragmented laws and agencies, creating a regulatory vacuum that leads to reactive crisis management rather than prevention at the source.

    14 May 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 6 May

  1. Ex-Lands Minister Kimunya acquitted in Sh60m land graft case

    Former Lands Minister Amos Kimunya and three others have been acquitted of corruption charges related to the alleged irregular allocation of Sh60 million of public land in Nyandarua County, with the court finding that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

    6 May 2026 · The Standard →

Ministry of Agriculture — Kenyan press coverage · Kenya Minute