Vulnerability of The Rice Milling Industry in Kenya: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The vitality of rice as a food security and cash crop has grown over the past decades in Kenya. Rice is consumed by most households in Kenya and thus plays a strategic role in food security. This is evident in the 12 percent increase in its consumption annually. The rice milling industry acts as an engine for the entire rice value chain. However, its performance has been limited by various factors ranging from social, economic, environmental, policy, and technological. The industry’s contribution to food security, poverty reduction, employment, and economic development has been greatly hampered by climate change and variability. Since the industry is dependent upon rice production, climate change impacts at the production node further affecting its value chain performance. Rice-related research in Kenya has mainly focused on climate-related effects on production and consumption nodes. Limited studies have widened their scope of climate change to demonstrate its impact on the rice milling industry. This systematic review maps the existing literature following the PRISMA protocol to synthesize the risks associated with climate change on the rice milling industry linking it with all nodes within the rice value chain. The paper further discusses possible implementable short-term solutions to under-utilization of rice mills as a result of climate change and recommends areas of future research that can provide lasting solutions to climate-related challenges in the rice value chain. Among the solutions include the need for increased investment in new irrigation infrastructure and technology, tolerant rice varieties as well as improved access to credit, inputs, and market information. Additionally, there is a need for stronger policy support to promote the growth and development of the rice milling industry, including measures to improve the regulatory environment, reduce taxation, and increase technical support and training for millers. Finally, promoting climate-smart agriculture practices can help mitigate the impacts of climate change on rice production and milling.