Kenya's government began giving farmers seeds for traditional food crops yesterday, hoping to shore up stocks in the face of rising prices and shortage fears. Poor rains, a bloody post-election crisis and climbing prices for inputs such as fertiliser have slowed food production in east Africa's largest economy. The country will import 3 million bags of maize this year to cover forecast shortages.

?These crops are known to perform well in dry areas where food insecurity is a common feature due to inadequate rainfall,? Agriculture minister William Ruto said as the distribution of cassava, sweet potato and sorghum seeds got under way. Production of such crops had declined in Kenya due to lack of planting materials, low interest among seed companies and changing eating habits. ?With good crop management this is expected to produce a further 24,100 tonnes of seeds with a market value of 360 million shillings by April 2009,? Ruto told reporters.