Rice is one of East Africa’s fastest-growing staple foods. Yet, local production still falls far short of demand, forcing countries to spend billions of dollars every year on imports. This has also led to the expansion of rice farming into wetlands, threatening fragile ecosystems.

A promising solution is upland rice — a climate-smart crop that grows well on well-drained soils, offering smallholder farmers a sustainable way to increase production while protecting the environment.

Here’s what you need to know about the rise of upland rice in East Africa.

What Is Upland Rice?

Upland rice is a type of rice grown without flooding. Instead of depending on irrigation, it thrives under rainfed conditions on well-drained soils.

Because it doesn’t require expensive irrigation infrastructure, upland rice allows farmers to grow rice in new areas — from mid- to high-altitude zones — where paddy systems aren’t practical. It’s sometimes called rainfed rice and is increasingly seen as a key part of East Africa’s climate-smart agriculture movement.

Where and How It Grows

Upland rice performs best in moderately fertile, well-drained soils and areas with 800–1,200 mm of annual rainfall. It fits perfectly into smallholder farming systems across the region.

·       🌱 Grows in rainfed conditions — no irrigation needed.

·       🏞️ Thrives on well-drained soils, reducing pressure on wetlands.

·       ⏱️ Matures quickly — typically within 90–120 days.

·       🌾 Ideal for intercropping or rotation with legumes such as beans and soybeans, which improve soil fertility.

·       💧 Uses less water than paddy rice, making it climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable.

Farmers in Eastern and Central Kenya (Meru, Embu, Tharaka Nithi) and Western and Northern Uganda (Pallisa, Lira, Butaleja) are already adopting upland rice with promising results.

Why Upland Rice Matters in East Africa

Demand for rice continues to rise across East Africa due to urbanization and changing diets. However, regional production can’t keep up — Kenya, for example, imports over 80% of its rice, and countries collectively spend billions of dollars annually on imports.

This heavy reliance on imports strains economies and encourages the conversion of wetlands into paddy fields.

Upland rice offers a sustainable solution:

·       Allows rice expansion without wetland destruction.

·       Helps reduce greenhouse-gas emissions associated with flooded paddies.

·       Is climate-resilient, offering reliable yields despite rainfall variability.

·       Supports food security while creating new income opportunities for smallholder farmers.

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How Kilimo Trust Is Driving Transformation

Through the Reduce–Reuse–Recycle Rice Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture (R4iCSA) — led by Kilimo Trust with support from the IKEA Foundation — farmers in Kenya and Uganda are adopting climate-smart, regenerative rice production systems that improve productivity and protect natural resources.

Key areas of impact include:

• 🧑‍🌾 Training thousands of smallholder farmers in upland rice agronomy and soil management.
• 🌾 Introducing drought-tolerant, early-maturing rice varieties suitable for rainfed areas.
• 🔄 Promoting reuse of rice by-products (husks, straw) to make biochar, compost, and animal feed — reducing waste and improving soil fertility.
• 🌍 Encouraging the shift away from wetland farming to well-drained upland areas, helping protect vital ecosystems