Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has unveiled an ambitious plan to more than double Kenya’s bixa production, a move aimed at creating thousands of jobs, increasing farmers’ incomes and unlocking the country’s full processing potential.
Speaking during a visit to Kenya Bixa Limited in Kwale County, Kagwe said the government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and coastal county governments, will work to expand bixa farming by distributing certified seedlings, strengthening extension services, supporting farmer cooperatives and improving access to affordable financing.
The Cabinet Secretary said Kenya already has the processing infrastructure, export markets and internationally certified manufacturing standards needed to compete globally, but production at the farm level remains below capacity.
“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.
Factory Operating Below Capacity
Kenya Bixa Limited currently processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa annually despite having the capacity to process 3,000 tonnes every year.
The factory sources its produce from between 7,000 and 10,000 contracted smallholder farmers across Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties.
Kagwe said the government plans to significantly increase the number of growers by rolling out certified seedlings through AFA, which regulates bixa as a scheduled crop.
The expansion is expected to ensure the factory operates at full capacity while boosting exports and strengthening the country’s agricultural value chains.
Thousands of Jobs Expected
The planned expansion is projected to create employment opportunities across the entire bixa value chain, including seed multiplication, farming, aggregation, transport, processing, logistics and exports.
Kenya Bixa Limited currently employs about 150 people directly, while supporting hundreds more through contract farming and supply chains.
The government expects the increase in production to generate thousands of additional jobs across the Coast region.
Bixa Offers Attractive Returns for Farmers
According to production data presented during the visit, one acre can accommodate approximately 160 bixa trees planted at a spacing of five metres by five metres.
Each tree produces an average of 10 kilograms of bixa annually, translating to about 1,600 kilograms per acre.
At the current farm-gate price of KSh95 per kilogram, farmers can earn an estimated KSh152,000 per acre each year.
Unlike many commercial crops, bixa can also be intercropped with food crops such as maize, beans, pigeon peas, cassava, cowpeas and citrus fruits, allowing farmers to earn income while enhancing household food security.
“The most important thing is to put money into farmers’ pockets. That is my job,” Kagwe said.
Government to Strengthen Farmer Cooperatives
To help growers earn more from the crop, Kagwe directed farmers to establish strong bixa cooperatives to improve collective marketing, increase bargaining power and enhance access to affordable credit through the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and other financial institutions.
Supporting the government’s strategy, Agriculture and Food Authority Acting Director General Calistus Kundu announced that AFA has been directed to establish a dedicated support structure for the bixa subsector.
The unit will coordinate seed distribution, farmer registration, extension services and market development as part of efforts to expand Kenya’s bixa industry and position it as one of the country’s next high-value commercial crops
