Thiba Dam To Boost Rice Production To 250,000 Metric Tonnes

By Jane Muia / Published August 26, 2022 | 2:57 pm

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In 2020, Kenya produced 180,000 metric tons of rice, which is projected to increase by 10 percent to 520,000 MT by 2030. At the same time, it imported rice worth 25 billion shillings which could have been produced locally.

The country is said to be consuming 450,000 metric tonnes of rice annually, against the production of 160,000 tonnes.

With the completion of the Thiba dam in Kirinyanga county, the annual rice production is expected to increase to 250, 000 metric tonnes from the current 160, 000 metric tonnes. The construction of the dam was aimed at increasing rice production to cut rice imports.

The dam, which is 1 kilometer long and 40 meters deep has been filled with 15.6 million cubic meters of water. This will help in boosting irrigation in the region, where rice farming is mostly done. The National Irrigation Authority now says an additional 10,000 acres of land is expected to be placed in the Mwea irrigation scheme under rice cultivation, as a result of enough irrigation water.

Rice is Kenya’s second most consumed food after maize. In January this year, the government initiated a 10-year plan to promote rice consumption and reduce maize reliance, due to weather uncertainty which has pushed the price of maize up.

Kenya is however unable to produce enough rice for domestic consumption, with the country relying on imports to bridge the deficit. The country produces only 35 percent of what is consumed with the rest imported mainly from Pakistan.

Mwea irrigation scheme accounts for 80 percent of Kenya’s rice, playing a major role in the nationwide supply of grain. The total annual rice production in the scheme is estimated at 113,000 metric tons, with a potential for enhanced production.