Control street maize roasting to curb recurring hunger

The National government should collaborate with County government ministries of agriculture to carry out campaigns to discourage farmers from selling green maize.

With maize maturing in most counties in the former Western Province, farmers are selling an ear of maize at only Sh 8 an act which is a time bomb for hunger in the country.

The streets of Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia counties are flooded with maize roasting vendors who are engaging in the practice to earn a living without realising its future consequences.

"I sell a roasted maize ear at Sh20 and the business is doing well," said a maize roasting vendor at Kakamega.

A total of 990,000 bags of 90 kilograms of maize grains were imported last month by private millers to curb maize shortage in the country.

The highest yield in the history of maize growing in Kenya was in 2015 when the country harvested 42.5 million bags of maize.