Kenya to launch modern rice seed facility in Mwea

THE Kenyan government, through the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, in collaboration with the Korea Partnership for Innovations of Agriculture, is set to establish a rice seed production facility in Mwea.

The $400,000 (Sh51.6 million) initiative is aimed at enhancing local rice production by providing affordable and certified seeds to farmers, with a vision to reduce rice imports and increase self-sufficiency in the country.

Kalro Mwea Centre director Dr Ruth Musila said the initiative to build a rice seed production facility in Mwea promises to revolutionise the local rice industry.

The facility is a key step toward ensuring a sustainable rice seed system, ultimately benefiting farmers with affordable and high-quality certified seeds.

“The objective is to create a sustainable and affordable system for rice seeds,” Musila said.

“This will enable farmers to access certified seeds easily and at a lower cost.”

The facility will include a storage unit capable of holding 1,000 tonnes of certified seeds, alongside dryers and processing units to ensure the quality of seeds before distribution.

This is in addition to equipping the facility with modern machinery, including tractors, levelers and sprayers, which will mechanise the rice production process and reduce costs for farmers.

“Our goal is to make the seed production process more affordable so farmers buy at prices between Sh100 and Sh120, down from the current Sh160,” Musila said.

To complement the facility, training programmes will be established for both seed growers and commercial paddy rice farmers.

“We want to make sure that farmers not only receive quality seeds but also learn how to improve their practices for better rice production,” Musila said.