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President William Ruto has given assurance to the Kenyan people that within the next 10 years, the country will no longer rely on food imports.
Speaking during the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Nanyuki Affordable Housing Project on Wednesday, the president emphasized the need for Kenya to achieve self-sufficiency in food production to reduce import costs.
President Ruto highlighted that the country currently spends approximately Ksh.500 billion annually on food imports and outlined his government’s efforts to increase production, aiming to eventually rely solely on Kenya’s agricultural capabilities.
He stated, “We are spending almost Ksh.500 billion every year to import food from other countries. In 5 years, we want to reduce the margin from Ksh.500 billion to Ksh.250 billion, and in 10 years, we will no longer be importing any food; we will be producing our own.”
President Ruto underscored the administration’s commitment to supporting farmers by subsidizing fertilizer costs to enhance production. He mentioned the expected 40% increase in harvests this year compared to the previous year.
To address the challenges faced by dairy farmers, including delayed payments, President Ruto announced a boost of Ksh.37 billion from India to mechanize production and improve efficiency. He pledged to eliminate cartels through the Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) and ensure prompt payment to milk farmers within 15 days starting from June.
The president expressed frustration with what he perceived as collaboration between the Opposition and the Judiciary to hinder government initiatives. He asserted his determination to combat corruption and fulfill his campaign promises, vowing not to be deterred by any challenges.
