The government has embarked on ambitious plan that will help raise Kenya’s bixa production capacity to at least 3,000 tonnes annually.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe who announced the plan in Kwale County said the plan will target the expansion of the number of growers and increase capacity which will help create thousands of new farming and processing jobs while significantly raising rural incomes.
“This is not just about increasing production. It is about bringing more farmers into a profitable value chain, creating more jobs and putting more money into rural households,” said Kagwe.
Under the initiative, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) in collaboration with the coastal county governments will undertake distribution of certified seedlings, deploy stronger extension services and set up farmer cooperatives and affordable financing which are expected to help position bixa as one of Kenya’s next high-value commercial crops.
Currently, an estimated 10,000 contracted farmers in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties are responsible for production of bixa.
Kagwe said the Government now intends to increase the number of farmers by rolling out more certified seedlings through AFA.
As a scheduled crop, AFA will play a central role in regulating planting material, supporting farmers and expanding acreage to supply the additional raw materials needed by the factory.
“If we fill the gap between the current 1,000–1,400 tonnes and the 3,000-tonne capacity, we will not only increase exports and value addition, but also bring thousands more farmers into the bixa value chain, create more jobs and inject millions of shillings into rural economies every year,” said Kagwe during a visit to Kenya Bixa Limited in Kwale County.
At the current farm-gate price of Ksh 95 per kilogram, a farmer can earn approximately Ksh 152,000 per acre every year from bixa.
The factory currently provides 150 direct jobs, while supporting hundreds more through contract farming, transport and supply chains. Increasing production to the plant’s full capacity is expected to substantially increase employment opportunities across the Coast region.
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