Kenya has potential to become self-sufficient in wheat production, but faces constraints including drought, temperature stress, low soil fertility, and acid soils. Wheat production is declining in high potential areas due to competition from other crops and subdivision of large farms. Expansion to fragile ecosystems is limited by lower yields and higher costs. Higher yields per unit area are needed to make small-scale wheat farming economically viable through improved seeds, fertilizers, and overcoming biotic and abiotic constraints like drought, pests, and diseases. National policies aim to promote adapted varieties and technologies while local adaptations include better water management, conservation agriculture, and irrigation.

1. Analysis of Climate-related Biophysical Constraints to
the Integration of Wheat for Food Security in Kenya
1C.N.Macharia*, 1M., Gethi, 1P.A Ooro, 1C.M. Njeru, and 1A. Gichangi,
1Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Private Bag, Njoro; 20107
*Correspondence: cngarimacharia@yahoo.com
KENYA’S WHEAT PROFILE:
•Second most important cereal crop
•Production : 350,000 MT p.a
• Acreage : 157,000 Ha.
•Consumption: 950,000 mt.
•Imports: 600,000 tons (Value: 162.5 US $)

2. PRODUCTION STRUCTURE
Small-scale (<2.5 ha) = 53 % of Acreage
Poorly developed & inefficient
Average Yield: 1.9 t ha-1
Contribute:13% of National production
Large scale = 47 % of acreage Wheat growing areas of Kenya
Wheat growing areas of Kenya
Highly Developed
Yields 4 – 6 t/ha per hectare.
87 % of National Production

3. Trends in Kenyan wheat Sector
1. Declining acreage in high potential areas
•Competition from other enterprises
•Subdivision of large-scale wheat farms
2. Shift to marginal and fragile ecosystems
• Conflicts over resources (farmers, pastoralists &wildlife)
• Threat to environment
• Climate-induced stress more intense.
3. Expansion to fragile ecosystems limited
• Lower yields and Higher production costs
• Environmental and sustainability concerns
4. Pop. Growth @ 3.5% = Demand @ 15% p.a.

4. The future
 Kenya has potential to attain self sufficiency in wheat
(Viable potential = 300,000 ha)
 Higher yield/per unit area to make small scale wheat
economically viable (improved seed, fertilizers etc )
 Overcome biotic/abiotic constraints

5. CONSTRAINTS TO WHEAT PRODUCTIVITY IN
KENYA
ABIOTIC
•Drought and Temperature Stress
•Low Soil Fertility
•Acid Soils
•Adverse climate change
BIOTIC
•Poorly adapted varieties
•Diseases; Pests; Diseases; Weeds

6. Acid soils: > 50 % of high potential wheat areas
•high rainfall and natural tendency to soil
•highly intensive & over reliance on acid forming.
Amelioration is limited by high cost
(liming; organic matter; high phosphorus)
Pathway to higher yields in acid soils
•Exploit genetic variability in tolerance to soil acidity
•Progress –
•Some Varieties released
•Screening of germplasm is ongoing

7. Low soil fertility -Main constraint underpinning
decline in productivity of small holder farms.
•Low investment in soil fertility
•Nitrogen and Phosphorus
•Conservation Agriculture
•Aware of benefits of fertilizer is high
• High purchase costs
• Aversion to risk crop failure.
ACTION
Weed, Pest, High
ISFM +
Adapted
Varieties + Disease = Yield
Control

8. Vulnerability due drought
Kenyan agriculture is rain fed -highly vulnerable to stress factors
influenced directly by climate.
Official Predictions
Reduced rainfall increase in
Water shortages area under
Higher temperatures ASALs
Large scale wheat in marginal areas under
threat

9. Potential Coping strategies
At national & policy At the local level
level
Pricing policy adjustments Technological adaptations
Targeted subsidies on essential Development & promotion
inputs new crop varieties and
(fertilizer, Diesel, Financial) hybrids
•Better water management
at catchment level
•conservation agriculture
• irrigation.

10. At the farm level
•Manage crop to capture more water for grain
(Good water productivity = 20 kg ha-1 mm-1 for well-managed disease-
free BUT water-limited cereal crops)
• Soil and stubble management to promote infiltration and
water storage in the soil
• Proper use of herbicides
• Conservation tillage,
• Timeliness of sowing
• Sound Nutrient Management
• 4R concept
• Crop rotations
• Use of “climate-smart” crop cultivars
• Good emergence
• Early canopy cover
• Evenness of establishment