Updated 25 October 2026
Kenya’s maize comes mostly from a band of counties in the North Rift and Western regions. The latest official county figures, in the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) National Agriculture Production Report 2025, rank Uasin Gishu as the largest maize-producing county in 2024, followed closely by Trans Nzoia. Narok, Kakamega, Bungoma and Nakuru make up the rest of the top six.
This guide lists the top 20 counties using that report, explains how much of the national harvest they account for, and looks at which counties rose or fell between 2023 and 2024. The 2024 numbers are marked provisional by KNBS, and the county data comes from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development’s annual validation exercise with county agriculture officers.
Kenya’s Maize Harvest in 2024 at a Glance
According to the report, farmers planted maize on 2,407,025 hectares in 2024 and harvested 4,028,320 tonnes. That is about 44.8 million 90-kg bags, down 6.1% from the 47.6 million bags of 2023. KNBS puts the value of the 2024 crop at KSh 153.1 billion, compared with KSh 180.8 billion the year before.
KNBS links the fall partly to erratic and poorly distributed short rains. It also notes that in high-potential areas more maize is now being harvested green and processed into silage for dairy farmers, so that part of the crop never reaches the grain market.
Top 20 Maize-Producing Counties in Kenya (2024)
The table ranks counties by 2024 production in tonnes, as published in Annex 1 of the KNBS report. The bag column converts tonnes to 90-kg bags (1 tonne is about 11.1 bags) so the figures can be compared with prices quoted per bag.
| Rank | County | 2024 production (tonnes) | About (million 90-kg bags) | Area planted (ha) | 2023 production (tonnes) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uasin Gishu | 483,211 | 5.37 | 107,009 | 476,538 | +1.4% |
| 2 | Trans Nzoia | 423,156 | 4.70 | 124,976 | 448,011 | -5.5% |
| 3 | Narok | 224,236 | 2.49 | 122,245 | 314,403 | -28.7% |
| 4 | Kakamega | 212,753 | 2.36 | 105,181 | 132,572 | +60.5% |
| 5 | Bungoma | 207,846 | 2.31 | 90,297 | 222,912 | -6.8% |
| 6 | Nakuru | 201,876 | 2.24 | 94,421 | 215,412 | -6.3% |
| 7 | Nandi | 179,389 | 1.99 | 57,812 | 159,556 | +12.4% |
| 8 | Migori | 148,919 | 1.65 | 88,449 | 101,474 | +46.8% |
| 9 | Homa Bay | 146,866 | 1.63 | 89,172 | 115,635 | +27.0% |
| 10 | Siaya | 143,979 | 1.60 | 77,660 | 115,191 | +25.0% |
| 11 | Kericho | 134,358 | 1.49 | 43,908 | 111,130 | +20.9% |
| 12 | Meru | 133,150 | 1.48 | 136,082 | 151,039 | -11.8% |
| 13 | Elgeyo Marakwet | 117,786 | 1.31 | 42,182 | 150,221 | -21.6% |
| 14 | West Pokot | 96,984 | 1.08 | 56,403 | 96,010 | +1.0% |
| 15 | Machakos | 91,910 | 1.02 | 158,761 | 175,493 | -47.6% |
| 16 | Nyamira | 89,599 | 1.00 | 48,580 | 63,424 | +41.3% |
| 17 | Baringo | 83,958 | 0.93 | 47,457 | 94,877 | -11.5% |
| 18 | Makueni | 83,506 | 0.93 | 155,337 | 81,363 | +2.6% |
| 19 | Busia | 77,934 | 0.87 | 44,204 | 71,237 | +9.4% |
| 20 | Kisumu | 58,657 | 0.65 | 48,400 | 105,003 | -44.1% |
Source: KNBS, National Agriculture Production Report 2025, Annex 1 (Area and Production of Maize by County, 2020–2024). 2024 figures are provisional. Bag and percentage columns are Business Radar calculations from the published tonnes.
Which County Produces the Most Maize in Kenya?
Uasin Gishu produced the most maize in 2024, with 483,211 tonnes. It also topped the list in 2022 and 2023. Trans Nzoia, long described as Kenya’s grain basket, led in 2020 and 2021 and remains a close second. Between them, the two counties produced about 22.5% of all the maize harvested in Kenya in 2024, from roughly a tenth of the land planted.
The gap is partly about yield. Uasin Gishu harvested about 4.5 tonnes per hectare in 2024 and Trans Nzoia about 3.4, against a national average of about 1.7. Nandi and Kericho, which plant far less maize, also achieved yields above 3 tonnes per hectare, which is why they rank higher than counties with much bigger maize acreage.
Big Acreage, Smaller Harvests: Eastern Kenya
Area planted and tonnes harvested do not always line up. Machakos planted more maize than any other county in 2024 (158,761 hectares), and Makueni and Meru also planted more than Uasin Gishu. Yet their harvests were far smaller: about 0.6 tonnes per hectare in Machakos, 0.5 in Makueni and 1.0 in Meru.
The report explains why 2024 was especially hard in these areas. In the south-eastern counties, where rains usually ease in mid-June, the rains ended early, in mid-May, leaving crops short of moisture. KNBS says yields fell by up to 70% below average in south-eastern and coastal marginal areas, made worse by scarce and expensive certified seed and local outbreaks of fall armyworm. Machakos production almost halved from 2023, and Kitui and Kilifi fell by about half too.
Western Kenya Gained Ground
The western and Lake Victoria counties moved the other way. KNBS reports that rainfall in western areas, where the season runs until August, was average to above average. Kakamega’s harvest rose about 60% to 212,753 tonnes, lifting it to fourth place. Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya and Nyamira all grew by a quarter or more. Narok, Elgeyo Marakwet and Kisumu were among the counties that produced less than in 2023.
Counties That Grow Very Little Maize
At the other end of the table are the arid north-eastern counties and the cities. Wajir recorded 216 tonnes in 2024, Garissa 382 and Isiolo 576, while Nairobi produced 641 tonnes and Mombasa 770. These counties depend on maize brought in from the main producing regions and from imports.
Why These Rankings Matter
- Traders and millers watch the main producing counties closely, because a poor season in the North Rift or Western Kenya affects grain supply and prices across the country.
- Input suppliers such as seed and fertiliser firms concentrate their branches in these counties. See our lists of Kenya Seed Company branches and fertiliser companies in Kenya.
- Farmers selling to the government deal with the National Cereals and Produce Board. Our guides cover what NCPB does and NCPB branches and depots.
How the Figures Are Collected
The national report is compiled by KNBS from data validated each year by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development with county and sub-county agricultural officers, covering both the long and short rains seasons in all 47 counties. Figures for the most recent year are provisional and can be revised in the next edition, as happened to some 2022 and 2023 county numbers between the 2024 and 2025 reports. For the full tables, including other crops, download the KNBS report or visit the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the leading maize-producing county in Kenya?
Uasin Gishu, with 483,211 tonnes (about 5.4 million 90-kg bags) in 2024, according to provisional KNBS figures. Trans Nzoia was second with 423,156 tonnes.
What are the top 5 maize-producing counties in Kenya?
In 2024 they were Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Narok, Kakamega and Bungoma. Together they produced about 38.5% of Kenya’s maize.
How much maize did Kenya produce in 2024?
About 4.03 million tonnes, or 44.8 million 90-kg bags, from 2.41 million hectares, according to KNBS. That was 6.1% less than in 2023.
Which county planted the most maize?
Machakos, with 158,761 hectares in 2024, but low yields after the rains ended early meant it ranked only 15th by production.
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