Ruto assures of measures to deal with food shortages caused by drought

Speaking during a meeting with more than 5,000 Kalenjin elders from the North Rift and South Rift regions at the Eldoret State Lodge in Uasin Gishu County on Monday, October 19, 2026, Ruto said the government was supporting farmers to sustain food production and keep the cost of food under control.

“For four years, God has blessed us with rain. We have supported farmers, and the cost of living has come down,” Ruto said.

The President acknowledged that drought had affected the country this year but said the government had prepared for a possible decline in food production.

“This year alone has been affected by drought, but we have put in place a comprehensive plan to ensure that even if food production declines slightly, we are prepared to deal with it,” he said.

Ruto linked food security to the cost of living, saying increasing food production was necessary to make food more affordable for households.

“To reduce the cost of living, we must reduce the cost of food by supporting farmers so that they can produce more food,” he said.

He also called for increased incomes for farmers, arguing that better earnings would enable them to meet their daily needs while strengthening the country’s food production system.

“We must also increase the incomes of our farmers because when many farmers earn more, they will be able to meet their daily needs,” Ruto said.

The President pointed to coffee, tea, sugarcane, avocados and milk as agricultural products where farmers could earn higher income.

“That is why we have improved the earnings from coffee, tea, sugarcane, avocados and milk,” he said.

Ruto said agriculture remained central to putting more money into the hands of ordinary Kenyans while encouraging farmers to increase production.

“We should use agriculture to put money into the pockets of ordinary citizens,” he said.

He added that supporting farmers to produce more food would help strengthen the country’s ability to meet its food needs while lowering pressure on household budgets.

The president also cited the government’s housing programme, saying it was creating significant employment opportunities across the country.

“That is why we have the housing programme, which is creating one million jobs,” he said.

Ruto also highlighted digital employment and opportunities for Kenyans seeking jobs abroad as part of the government’s efforts to expand sources of income.

“We also have the digital jobs programme, which is creating nearly 400,000 jobs. There is also the overseas employment programme, which provides nearly 700,000 job opportunities,” he said.

Ruto said increasing incomes and putting more money into households was central to the government’s approach to managing the cost of living and growing the economy.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the President to engage with the elders on issues affecting the region, with the discussions touching on development priorities and the government’s plans for the country.