Kenya: Ruto Vows to Eliminate Food Deficit Gobbling Sh500 Billion Annually in Imports

13 August 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Adah Tanui

Nairobi — President William Ruto has said the government is working towards eliminating a food deficit costing the country a total sum of Sh500 billion annually in imports.

He gave the undertaking while speaking during a church service at the Faith Evangelistic Ministry in Karen, Nairobi, on Sunday.

"Our projection this year is that we are going to increase our maize production from 44 million bags to 61 million bags," Ruto said.

He further said this year's food production is promising because farmers have grown 200 hectares beyond what they did in 2022 driven by favorable rains and a State-funded fertilizer subsidy.

Ruto said the intervention is part of a wider plan to reduce the country's exposure to external shock and secure capitalize on Kenya's agricultural potential to attain a net exporter status on food.

The Head of State said improved food production coupled with a policy shift to encourage a culture of savings will turn around the country's fortunes.

Policy shift

Ruto projected the doubling of the country's savings within four years.

"The money we saved in the NSSF is about Sh350 billion in the last 60 years but because of the new formula that we have agreed and started implementing in the last four months we will double the money," he said.

He said expanding NSSF will avail the country credit for development initiatives saving the taxpayer the burden of foreign loans.

"In 10 to 15 years we will not need to borrow from elsewhere but we will borrow from ourselves," Ruto affirmed.

The Head of State defended his government's insistence on the execution of the housing project with a mandatory contribution from employers terming the Housing Fund as a key enabler of job creation.

"It was not so much about the houses it was more about the jobs," he told the congregation.

President Ruto was accompanied by First Lady Rachel and a host of leaders including Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya.

The church address comes in after the president arrived back in the country on Saturday evening after a two-day State Visit in Mozambique.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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