Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, has revealed a comprehensive strategy to more than double Kenya's bixa production. The initiative focuses on expanding cultivation and maximizing the use of existing processing facilities.

During a visit to Kenya Bixa Limited in Kwale County, Kagwe outlined government efforts to distribute certified seedlings, enhance extension services, support farmer cooperatives, and improve access to affordable financing through partnerships with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and coastal county governments.

Key objectives include:

  • Increasing the number of farmers engaged in bixa cultivation to fully utilize Kenya Bixa Limited’s processing capacity of 3,000 tonnes annually.
  • Creating thousands of jobs and boosting rural incomes by integrating more farmers into the bixa value chain.
  • Positioning bixa as a leading commercial crop with export potential.

Currently, Kenya Bixa Limited processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa sourced from 7,000 to 10,000 smallholder farmers across Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu counties. The company produces natural colour extracts, bixin and norbixin, used in dairy, meat, confectionery, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics markets locally and internationally.

Kagwe emphasized that bixa farming can coexist with staple crops such as maize, beans, and cassava, allowing farmers to diversify without compromising food production. At the current market rate of Ksh 95 per kilogram, farmers can earn approximately Ksh 152,000 per acre annually.

He urged farmers to form robust cooperatives to strengthen bargaining power and access affordable credit from entities like the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).

AFA Acting Director General Calistus Kundu announced plans to establish a dedicated support framework for the bixa sector, covering seed distribution, farmer registration, extension services, and market development.

Kenya Bixa Limited’s Managing Director, Dr David Kisa, highlighted the company’s investments in expanding processing capacity and meeting international standards but stressed the need for increased raw material supply from local farmers.

CS Kagwe concluded that boosting bixa production to meet factory capacity will enhance exports, generate employment opportunities along the Coast, and inject significant revenue into rural economies.