President William Ruto used his State of the Nation Address on Thursday November 20th to highlight falling food prices and increased agricultural output, arguing that policy changes made over the past three years are beginning to ease pressure on Kenyan households.
Ruto said that improving food security remains central to bringing down the cost of living and noted that the widespread public frustration seen in 2022 and 2023 symbolised by protests where Kenyans banged empty sufurias was a reminder of how vulnerable the country had become to food shortages and import dependence.
The President maintained that the government’s decision to move away from consumption subsidies and instead support production was a deliberate long-term strategy.
“Real, sustainable relief comes from strengthening the agricultural base, not temporary interventions,” he told MPs.
According to Ruto, the government’s farmer registration programme under the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS) has expanded from fewer than 300,000 farmers in 2022 to more than 7.1 million today.
He said the database has helped eliminate middlemen and improve the accuracy of distributing farm inputs.
A major component of this shift, he said, has been the rollout of affordable fertiliser. The government has distributed 21 million bags since 2022, a move he said cut prices by almost two-thirds and saved farmers an estimated Sh105 billion collectively.
Ruto pointed to maize production as the clearest sign of progress. National output, he said, rose from 44 million bags in 2022 to 67 million bags in 2024, with projections indicating a possible 70 million bags this year one of the highest harvests in decades. As a result, the price of a 2kg packet of maize flour has dropped from highs of Sh250 to about Sh130.
He also cited improvements in other sub-sectors. Tea earnings grew from Sh138 billion in 2022 to Sh215 billion in 2024, while coffee farmers are now earning between Sh120 and Sh150 per kilo, up from about Sh70 in previous years.
Production of edible oils, cotton, cashew nuts and coconuts has also picked up, supported by expanded seedling distribution and targeted investment.
Ruto acknowledged that some industries, including sugar, are still recovering but said the broader trend shows agriculture regaining momentum.
The President framed the gains as part of a wider effort to stabilise the economy and reduce household vulnerability.
“Hunger should never be a defining feature of life in this country,” he said. “We still have work to do, but the foundations for stronger food security are taking shape.”
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