KWALE, Kenya — Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has unveiled an ambitious government plan to more than double Kenya’s bixa production by expanding the number of farmers growing the crop and fully utilising the country’s annual processing capacity of 3,000 tonnes.
Speaking during a visit to Kenya Bixa Limited in Kwale County, Kagwe said the initiative is expected to create thousands of jobs across farming, processing, transport and export value chains while significantly increasing rural incomes in the Coast region.
The Cabinet Secretary said the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), working alongside coastal county governments, will spearhead the expansion by distributing certified seedlings, strengthening agricultural extension services, supporting farmer cooperatives and improving access to affordable financing.
According to Kagwe, Kenya already has the processing capacity, export markets and internationally certified manufacturing standards needed to compete globally, but production at the farm level remains insufficient.
Currently, Kenya Bixa Limited processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa annually despite having the capacity to process 3,000 tonnes each year, meaning the factory operates at less than half its potential.
The current supply comes from between 7,000 and 10,000 contracted smallholder farmers across Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties.
“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,” Kagwe said.
The Cabinet Secretary said the government intends to increase the number of bixa growers by rolling out more certified seedlings through AFA, noting that the authority will play a central role in regulating planting materials, supporting farmers and expanding acreage.
He said the expansion is expected to generate employment not only on farms but also in seed multiplication, aggregation, transport, processing, logistics and exports.
Kenya Bixa Limited currently employs about 150 people directly while supporting hundreds more through contract farming and related supply chains.
Kagwe said bixa offers attractive returns for farmers, noting that one acre planted with about 160 trees can produce approximately 1,600 kilograms of bixa annually.
At the current farm-gate price of Sh95 per kilogram, farmers can earn an estimated Sh152,000 per acre each year.
He added that because bixa trees are widely spaced, farmers can intercrop with maize, beans, pigeon peas, cassava, cowpeas and citrus fruits, enabling households to earn income while maintaining food production.
“The most important thing is to put money into farmers’ pockets. That is my job,” Kagwe said.
To strengthen the value chain, the Cabinet Secretary directed farmers to establish strong cooperatives to improve collective marketing, enhance bargaining power and increase access to affordable credit through the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and other financial institutions.
Agriculture and Food Authority Acting Director General Calistus Kundu said the authority has been directed to establish a dedicated support structure for the bixa sub-sector to coordinate seed distribution, farmer registration, extension services and market development.
