KWALE, Kenya — Kenya is launching an initiative to more than double its bixa production, aiming to fully utilize the country’s processing capacity and generate thousands of rural jobs across its coastal region.
The plan focuses on boosting output to feed Kenya Bixa Limited’s processing facility in Kwale County, which currently operates at less than half of its 3,000-tonne annual capacity. The plant currently processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa per year, sourced from 7,000 to 10,000 smallholder farmers in Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu counties.
The strategy involves distributing certified seedlings, strengthening agricultural extension services, promoting farmer cooperatives, and facilitating access to affordable credit, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe noted that while Kenya possesses modern processing infrastructure, established export channels, and certified manufacturing standards, raw material supply remains a bottleneck.
“What is now needed is to rapidly increase production from the farm,” Kagwe said during a visit to the Kwale facility. “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.”
Under the roadmap, the state-run Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) will regulate planting materials and oversee acreage expansion. AFA Acting Director General Calistus Kundu said a dedicated support structure is being created within the authority to coordinate seedling distribution, farmer registration, and market development.
Bixa a high-value scheduled crop used primarily for natural food coloring and cosmetics yields an average of 1,600 kilograms per acre annually at standard spacing. At current farm-gate prices of KSh95 ($0.73) per kilogram, growers can earn an estimated KSh152,000 per acre each year. Because the crop allows for intercropping with staples such as maize, cassava, and beans, farmers can generate commercial revenue without compromising household food security.
To help farmers capture greater value, the government is urging growers to form cooperatives to improve collective bargaining power and secure financing through lenders such as the Agricultural Finance Corporation.
“The most important thing is to put money into farmers’ pockets,” Kagwe said.
