Kenya Shifts Focus to Barley Amid Regional Demand Surge
Kenyan farmers are increasingly switching from wheat to barley production due to strong demand from breweries in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
The shift is attributed to regional market trends, with Kenya becoming the leading East African supplier of raw barley. In 2025, total Kenyan barley exports reached an estimated 39,997 metric tonnes, with distribution heavily concentrated in East African Community markets.
The agency notes that higher regional prices have prompted substantial exports of locally produced barley, leaving only about one quarter of local output for domestic malting and downstream brewing. Kenya's barley sector has recorded a robust multi-year recovery after a severe weather-related decline in 2023, with production rising by 64.6 percent in 2024 and by a further 19.8 percent in 2025.