Alarm as new report shows only 20% of Kenya’s soil suitable for food production
A new report has revealed that only 20 percent of Kenya’s soil is suitable for food production, indicating worrying times ahead for Kenya’s food basket
A new report has revealed that only 20 percent of Kenya’s soil is suitable for food production, indicating worrying times ahead for Kenya’s food basket.
According to the Soil Atlas Health Report 2025, Kenya’s soil has undergone massive degradation, with the country losing 26 tons of soil per hectare annually through water-induced erosion, with some areas experiencing losses exceeding 90 tons.
Soil is a vital resource that impacts food and nutritional security. Research shows that soils are also indispensable in the fight against climate change because they store more carbon than vegetation and the atmosphere combined. Carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere by plants and then stored in soils through the plants’ roots.
As per the report, the situation is worse in East Africa, where over 40 percent of soils are degraded, threatening the region’s agricultural foundation and resilience.
A combination of human activities and natural processes drive this crisis. Overgrazing, unsustainable farming practices, deforestation, and increasingly erratic weather patterns contribute to the depletion of soil quality.
Overgrazing, especially in dry areas, exacerbates the problem by removing vegetation that protects the soil. Without this cover, the soil becomes vulnerable to erosion and compaction, reducing its ability to absorb water and sustain plant life.
Further compounding the problem of soil degradation in Kenya is salinization—the buildup of salts in the soil.
This is particularly so in arid and semi-arid regions where poor irrigation practices, such as the use of low-quality water, contribute to this issue.
When the water evaporates, it leaves behind salts that gradually accumulate to harmful levels. High evaporation rates and waterlogging also intensify the problem.
“Approximately 40 percent of irrigated land in Kenya is affected by salinity, making it difficult to meet agricultural demands,” the report noted.
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Further, the report noted nutrient depletion as another challenge to soil health in Kenya and the region, with over 85 percent of soils being nutrient-deficient. “Continuous farming without replenishment, combined with rising soil acidity and poor management practices, has worsened the problem.”
Worryingly, the report revealed that degraded soils were estimated to reduce agricultural output by 30 percent leading to dependency on imports. This comes after another report released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) revealed an estimated 2.8 million people are at risk of facing acute food insecurity between April and June 2026 in light of the looming below-normal long rains.
According to NDMA, the report, which assessed 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties, noted a rise of 650,000 people requiring urgent humanitarian aid from the current 2.15 million.
Of the millions to be affected, children between six months and six years and breastfeeding women in these regions are at the highest risk of facing acute malnutrition.
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