- Crop production accounted for 70.7% of the GVA in 2023
- Maize is the most produced food crop in Kenya, widely consumed by households
- Irish potato is the second most produced in Kenya after maize
- The agricultural sector contributed 21.8% to the national GDP in 2023.
- The list of the most produced food crops in Kenya is the courtesy of KBNS.
The agricultural sector is the leading contributor to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the backbone of the food basket, with surplus production often exported. The most produced food crops in Kenya are driven by their high demand, including cereals, pulses, and root crops.
The agricultural sector accounted for 21.8% of Kenya’s GDP in 2023. Crop production in Kenya is determined by the weather conditions, which often interfere with the physiological development of the crop. This is due to the country’s high dependance on rain, which often interferes with crop production.
Crop production in Kenya is primarily influenced by the tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons, featuring two main growing periods: the long rainy season from March to May and the short rainy season from October to November.
Kenya’s highlands experience more temperate conditions, while the lowlands are often hot and dry, allowing for diverse crop production. Drought-resistant crops such as soghum perform well in semi-arid areas compared to potatoes, which require a relatively medium to higher rainfall.
Crop production also shows a regional disparity, as some places experience constant dormancy with fewer activities in agriculture, while some regions are known to produce certain crops in volumes leading to manufacturing and exportation.
The National Agriculture Production Report compiled by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development for the last five years (2019-2023) shows that crop production accounted for 70.7% of the Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2023.
The area under food crop farming also expanded from 4,935.3 thousand hectares in 2022 to 5,371.7 thousand hectares in 2023. General crop production also increased from 8.5 million tons to 10.7 million tonnes in 2023. This is largely attributed to favorable weather conditions, government fertilizer subsidies, and increased investment in the sector by the private sector, the report indicates.
The report shows that maize is the most produced food crop in Kenya, feeding major households both in the rural and urban areas. The area under maize cultivation expanded from 2,113.5 thousand hectares in 2022 to 2,430.0 thousand hectares in 2023. This resulted in an increased production of 4,285,206 metric tons in 2023, up from 3,087,520 metric tons in 2022.
The report also shows that Irish potatoes are the second most cultivated crop in Kenya after, widely consumed by most households in Kenya. Iris potato production increased from 523,324 metric tons in 2022 to 657,091 metric tons in 2023. The slight increase is attributed to improved rainfall received in 2023, promotion of the potato value chain through programs, easy access to certified seeds, higher-yielding varieties, opening of new lands, and favorable prices, the report indicated.
Both maize and potato increased their total value, from Ksh 65.4 billion in 2022 to Ksh 65.9 billion in 2023 for Irish potatoes, while that of the maize increased from Ksh 179.7 billion in 2022 to Ksh 180.8 billion in 2023.
