The production of food crops in Kenya plays an important role in the economic development as a major source of food, income, employment and wealth creation, and saving on foreign exchange expenditures through import substitution. The Food Crops sub-sector contributes approximately 37% of the total agricultural GDP.

The sub-sector is a major occupation of the rural population and accounts for a large share of the total agricultural output. It contributes to the national food and nutritional security as well as income generation through the domestic and export markets. This sub-sector plays a significant role in the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals of; no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being as well as meeting the aspirations encapsulated in various key Government policy documents. The Food crops sub-sector was widely unregulated since independence. The Food Crops Directorate was established in August 2014 pursuant to section 11(1) of Agriculture and Food Authority Act 2013, with a mandate to regulate, promote and develop scheduled crops and produce which are broadly categorized into three;

Since independence, the food crops sub-sector was widely unregulated. The Food Crops Directorate was established in August 2014 pursuant to section 11(1) of Agriculture and Food Authority Act 2013, with a mandate to regulate, promote and develop scheduled crops and produce which are broadly categorized into three;

1. Cereals (Maize, Barley, Finger millet, Pearl millet, Rice, Sorghum, Wheat, Wheat (pasta), Oats, Rye, Triticale, Grain amaranth)
2. Legumes (Soya beans, Beans Phaseolus, Pigeon pea, Dolichos bean, Cowpea, Chickpeas, Broad beans, Cluster bean, Dry Peas)
3. Roots and Tubers (Sweet potatoes, Cassava, potato, Coco yam)

To guide the sub-sector the directorate has developed the Crops (Irish Potato) Regulations, 2019, and the Crops (Food Crops) Regulations, 2019. These were gazetted and acceded to by Parliament on May 2019 and April 2020 respectively to enable the Directorate to operationalize its mandate.