Latest Sector Figures (2024/2025 Marketing Season)
Maize Production (2024/25 Est.)
1.51 Million Metric Tonnes
Severe drought impact, significantly below 5-year average (2.9 Mt).
National Maize Balance (2025/26 Season)
501,621 MT Surplus
Total projected supply (4.04 Mt) minus national requirement (3.54 Mt).
Structural Importance (Approx.)
~3% of GDP / ~50% of Employment
Highlights low productivity and reliance on subsistence farming.
Staple & Cash Crop Production (Metric Tonnes, 2000–2026)
**Insight:** Maize volatility reflects high dependence on rainfall, while consistent growth in **Soybean** demonstrates the potential of market-driven cash crops.
Policy & Development Focus
Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)
Effectiveness vs. Cost
- **Beneficiaries:** Remains static at **~1.02 million** smallholder farmers since 2018.
- **Budget Drain:** FISP consumes **~73% of the Ministry of Agriculture's budget**, limiting funds for vital areas like research, extension services, and infrastructure (irrigation).
- **E-Voucher:** Transitioning to the electronic voucher system aims to reduce fraud and encourage crop diversification, but faces delays in funding release and infrastructure challenges.
- **Challenge:** Few farmers graduate from FISP, undermining its objective as a temporary measure.
Structural Barriers to Growth
- **Climate Vulnerability:** Over 90% of agriculture remains **rain-fed**, making the sector acutely vulnerable to drought (as seen in 2024/25).
- **Infrastructure:** Lack of all-season feeder roads and irrigation limits commercialization and prevents farmers from accessing markets efficiently.
- **Market Distortion:** The **Food Reserve Agency (FRA)** buying maize at above-market prices often crowds out private buyers and entrenches the maize-centric focus, slowing diversification.
- **Potential:** Only **<30% of arable land** is currently cultivated, offering massive long-term growth potential if financed properly.