State to double acreage under rice production

Rice farmers prepare their lands for the planting season, the crop will be ready for harvesting and introduction to the market. [Timothy Kariuki, Standard]

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to increase rice production from 674,000 acres to 1 million to reduce importation, which stands at 80 per cent.

To achieve this, the ministry said it would address the issue of certified seeds, milling plants and ready markets for the farmers.