CS Kagwe reveals plan to double Kenya's bixa production, create more jobs at the Coast

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 distribute certified seedlings, strengthen extension services, support farmer cooperatives and improve access to affordable financing to increase production.

He said the move is aimed at creating thousands of jobs, increasing farmers' incomes and positioning bixa as one of Kenya's next major commercial crops.

"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.

Kenya Bixa Limited currently processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa annually despite having the capacity to process up to 3,000 tonnes each year.

The factory sources its produce from between 7,000 and 10,000 contracted smallholder farmers in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties.

Kagwe said the government's priority is to increase the number of farmers growing the crop to bridge the supply gap and fully utilize the processing plant.

He noted that Kenya already has a modern processing factory, access to export markets and internationally recognised quality standards, with the main challenge being insufficient production at the farm level.

According to the ministry, one acre can accommodate about 160 bixa trees, producing an average of 1,600 kilograms annually.

At the current farm-gate price of Ksh.95 per kilogram, farmers can earn about Ksh.152,000 per acre every year.

The Cabinet Secretary added that farmers do not have to sacrifice food production because bixa can be intercropped with crops such as maize, beans, cassava, cowpeas, pigeon peas and citrus fruits.

"The most important thing is to put money into farmers' pockets. That is my job," Kagwe stated. 

He also directed farmers to form strong cooperatives to improve their bargaining power and enable them to access affordable credit through the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and other lenders.

Agriculture and Food Authority Acting Director General Calistus Kundu said the authority has been instructed to establish a dedicated support system for the bixa sector to coordinate seed distribution, farmer registration, extension services and market development.

Kenya Bixa Limited Managing Director Dr David Kisa added that the company has invested heavily in expanding its processing capacity and meeting international standards but requires more raw materials from local farmers.

The company, which started operations in 1979 with a processing capacity of 250 tonnes, now processes up to 3,000 tonnes annually into natural food colour extracts known as bixin and norbixin.

These products are used in the manufacture of dairy products, processed meat, confectionery, beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics for both local and international markets.

Kagwe said increasing production to match the factory's capacity would boost exports, create more employment opportunities across the Coast region and inject millions of shillings into rural economies.