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In the lush, cool highlands of Kenya, where the mist lingers over ridges of green and red soil, Irish potatoes are both a humble meal and a national treasure. Yet, behind the comforting crunch of chips and the simmering warmth of mashed potatoes lies a curious economic story — one where less has somehow become more.

Few things illustrate China’s modern agricultural story better than fertilizer. Back in the 1960s, when food security was a national obsession, fertilizer use per hectare was barely a blip on the chart—just a sprinkle. By the 1980s, as reforms unleashed productivity, Chinese farmers were practically showering their fields with nitrogen, potash, and phosphate. Fertilizer wasn’t just an input; it was Beijing’s magic bullet to feed a billion mouths.

In much of Africa, agriculture is more than a livelihood—it’s the backbone of the economy. Countries like Ethiopia, Liberia, and Malawi see over 30% of their GDP coming from farming. In Burundi, it’s even more extreme: agriculture accounts for nearly 40%. But here’s the catch: these same countries cluster at the bottom of the GDP-per-capita scale, hovering around just $1,000–$3,700. And despite the sector's size, productivity remains low, often due to outdated techniques.

Kenya has turned the humble act of wheat farming into a spectacle of modern economic irony. The latest figures from the Economic Survey 2025 reveal a curious case: while local wheat production dawdled at 312,200 metric tonnes in 2024, imports swaggered into the national pantry at a whopping 2.3 million tonnes. That’s right — Kenya imported seven times more wheat than it produced.

For decades, Kenya’s floriculture industry has bloomed with pride, its signature roses and carnations gracing flower shops across Europe and beyond. But in a quiet revolution over the last five years, a new horticultural hero has been budding: fruits.

Kenya’s sugar industry closed 2024 on a high, bouncing back from a troubled 2023 with a remarkable 72.5% surge in production, according to new figures from the Kenya Sugar Board. Total output hit 815.5 thousand tonnes, up from 472.8 thousand tonnes the year before — the largest annual increase recorded in the past five years.