Kenya Targets Major Expansion of Bixa Farming to Boost Coastal Jobs and Export Earnings

The government has launched a fresh drive to more than double Kenya’s bixa production in a bid to increase farmers’ incomes, create jobs along the Coast and maximize the country’s processing capacity for the high-value industrial crop.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the plan during a visit to Kenya Bixa Limited in Kwale County, where he said the Ministry of Agriculture, working with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and county governments, will roll out certified seedlings, strengthen agricultural extension services, support farmer cooperatives and improve access to affordable credit.

Kagwe said the strategy is intended to attract more smallholder farmers into the bixa value chain while positioning the crop as one of Kenya’s emerging commercial export commodities.

“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,” he said.

The initiative comes as Kenya Bixa Limited, the country’s largest processor of the crop, continues to operate below its installed capacity due to limited supplies from farms. The company currently processes between 1,000 and 1,400 tonnes of raw bixa annually despite having the capacity to handle up to 3,000 tonnes each year.

The factory sources its produce from between 7,000 and 10,000 contracted farmers in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu counties. According to Kagwe, increasing the number of growers is now the government’s immediate priority to close the supply gap and enable the plant to operate at full capacity.

He noted that Kenya already has an established processing industry, access to international markets and recognized quality standards. However, insufficient production at the farm level has limited the country’s ability to capitalize on growing global demand for natural food colourants.

Ministry estimates indicate that one acre can accommodate about 160 bixa trees, producing an average of 1,600 kilograms annually. At the current farm-gate price of KSh95 per kilogram, farmers can earn approximately KSh152,000 per acre each year.

Kagwe also encouraged farmers to integrate bixa into existing farming systems instead of replacing food crops. He said the crop can be successfully intercropped with maize, beans, cassava, cowpeas, pigeon peas and citrus, allowing households to maintain food production while diversifying their income sources.

“The most important thing is to put money into farmers’ pockets. That is my job,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

To strengthen the value chain, Kagwe urged growers to organize themselves into cooperatives, saying stronger farmer groups would improve bargaining power and make it easier to access financing through the Agricultural Finance Corporation and other lending institutions.

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

Kenya Bixa Limited Managing Director Dr. David Kisa said the company has invested significantly in expanding its processing facilities and meeting international quality standards but requires more locally produced raw materials to utilize the factory fully.

Founded in 1979 with a processing capacity of 250 tonnes annually, the company has expanded its operations to process up to 3,000 tonnes into bixin and norbixin, natural colour extracts widely used in dairy products, processed meats, confectionery, beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The government believes increasing local production to match that capacity will strengthen export earnings, create additional employment opportunities across the Coast region and inject more income into rural economies.