Row Crops

Examples: Wheat, Maize, Rice, Sorghum, Barley

Regions Grown

  • Predominantly cultivated in Kenya’s Rift Valley, parts of Uganda (e.g., Eastern Region), and northern Tanzania (e.g., Arusha, Manyara).
  • Maize and rice are common in lowland and mid-altitude zones; wheat thrives in highlands above 1,800m.

Regions Grown & Production by Country (2022–2023 data)

Country

Maize (MT)

Wheat (MT)

Rice (MT)

Sorghum (MT)

Barley (MT)

Kenya

3.2M

350K

180K

120K

65K

Tanzania

6.7M

100K

2.5M

850K

45K

Uganda

2.8M

25K

290K

400K

–

Ethiopia

10.2M

5.1M

1.1M

4.2M

520K

Rwanda

500K

3K

135K

70K

–

Burundi

220K

–

45K

60K

–

Best Producer in East Africa

  • Maize: Ethiopia & Tanzania
  • Wheat: Ethiopia (by far the largest)
  • Rice: Tanzania
  • Sorghum: Ethiopia
  • Barley: Ethiopia

Top Producers in Other African Regions

Region Top Countries & Crop Strengths
West Africa 🇳🇬 Nigeria – Maize (11M MT), Sorghum (6M MT), Rice (5.4M MT)
  🇲🇱 Mali & 🇬🇭 Ghana – Growing rice and maize sectors
Central Africa 🇨🇲 Cameroon – Maize (~2.5M MT), Rice (~340K MT)
  🇨🇩 DRC – Rice, cassava (staple) but low yields due to poor inputs
Southern Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa – Top maize producer in Africa (15.5M MT), barley & wheat leader
  🇿🇲 Zambia – Strong maize surplus (3.5–4.2M MT), exporter to East Africa

Export Trends

  • Primarily for domestic markets; limited export of rice and wheat due to deficit.
  • Barley is grown under contract farming for local beer industries (e.g., Kenya Breweries Ltd).

Yield Losses

  • Up to 30–50%loss due to pests and diseases in poorly managed systems
  • Post-harvest losses (especially maize): an additional 20–25%due to poor storage and aflatoxin contamination

Economic Impact

  • Row crops are the backbone of East Africa’s food security and rural employment.
  • Maize is the region’s staple, contributing over 30% of caloric intake in Kenya and Uganda.
  • Wheat and rice consumption have grown with urbanization and dietary changes.

Growth Trends (2000–2023)

  • Maize: Area under production has expanded, but yield remains below global average (~1.8–2.5 tons/Ha vs 5–8 tons/Ha globally).
  • Rice: Fastest-growing cereal crop due to increased demand; imports still meet over 70% of consumption.
  • Wheat: Declining area due to climate vulnerability and rising input costs, but prices have soared post-2020 due to global supply disruptions.

Agronomic Pain Points

  • Pests: Fall armyworm (maize), stem borers, Quelea birds (sorghum, wheat)
  • Diseases: Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), rice blast, rusts in wheat
  • Soil issues: Nutrient depletion and acidification
  • Weather extremes: Droughts, erratic rainfall