Corn Farming in Narok County

I have travelled several times along Kaplong-Narok-Maai road since 2009 and lately have observed a shift in farming practices. In my earlier travels farming was mainly wheat and cattle but now corn farming has become significant in the region. Corn fields have become more common along the route as witnessed by corn buying centers that spring up in every urban center along the route during harvest seasons. This is a welcome that Narok is becoming a significant food basket for Kenya since without food sufficiency economic development is a pipe dream (https://www.usglc.org/blog/food-insecurity-economic-development-how-abt-associates-is-working-to-feed-the-future/). 

Corn Buying Center at Suswa

Expansive corn fields are evident everywhere along this route, a clear indication that wheat farming is being relegated to a lower rank as more farmers take on corn farming. This is collaborated by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Economic Survey 2024 (https://www.knbs.or.ke/reports/2024-economic-survey/) on decreasing wheat production in the country by 16.1% from 368.7 thousand tonnes in 2022 to 309.5 thousand tonnes in 2023 and an increase in corn production by 38.8%  in the same year period. 

Corn Field along Kaplong-Narok-Maai Road

When there is a surplus of a commodity people tend to become innovative and create new products out of the surplus hence creating industries and wealth. In a small way an array of corn products have started showing up in every urban centers in the country from the maize roosters on the road side, small cottage industries in local towns that are producing, blending and packaging an array for nutritious corn products and corn snacks and blended corn flours in all major supermarkets in town.

The shift to corn farming in Narok may have been stimulated by a number of factors including low cost of production compared to wheat, access to fertilizers, promise by the government to purchase corn under guaranteed minimum return principles and favourable weather conditions. It is needless to say, world governments have to be more innovative on how to grow more food since the world is projected to have 7 billion mouths to feed by 2030. 

I don't know about yourself, for me it is therapeutic to drive along a country road lined up with healthy plant crops. It is also the starting point for agro tourism.