By:Robert Mutasi
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has launched an ambitious plan to more than double Kenya’s bixa production by increasing the number of growers and expanding raw material supply to match the country’s 3,000-tonne annual processing capacity.
The initiative, which will be implemented alongside the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) and coastal county governments, aims to create thousands of jobs, raise rural incomes and boost the country’s export earnings.
Speaking during the launch at the Kenya Bixa Limited plant in Kwale County, CS Kagwe said Kenya has been under-producing bixa, also known as achiote, despite having a huge global market for the natural food colour.
Kenya is one of the world’s leading producers of Norbixin, the natural orange-red dye extracted from bixa seeds, which is used worldwide as a food colour in cheese, butter, margarine, snacks and cosmetics. However, the country’s processing plant in Kwale has been operating below capacity due to inadequate supply of raw materials.
“Our processing capacity is 3,000 tonnes per year, but we are producing less than half of that. We cannot have a factory that was built in 1979 and still operates below capacity. We must expand farming,” Kagwe said.
Under the new strategy, the government will distribute certified bixa seedlings to farmers, provide extension services, strengthen cooperative societies for aggregation, and facilitate access to affordable financing through the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).
The CS noted that bixa is a low-maintenance, climate-resilient perennial crop that can be harvested twice a year and has a productive lifespan of up to 20 years, making it ideal for coastal and lower Eastern regions including Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River and parts of Taita Taveta.
“We are targeting smallholder farmers, youth and women groups. One acre of bixa can give a farmer over Sh100,000 per year with minimal input. This is the cash crop that will transform the coast,” he said.
Farmers will also benefit from a guaranteed market through Kenya Bixa Limited, which is the sole processor and exporter in the country and is licensed by AFA. The company has committed to offering competitive farm-gate prices and prompt payment.
Kagwe added that the plan is part of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) which focuses on value addition, agro-processing and export growth.
He directed AFA to fast-track registration of new growers, establish demonstration plots and work with county governments to map suitable land for bixa expansion.
Kwale County leaders who were present welcomed the initiative, saying it will revive a crop that had been neglected despite its high potential.
Kenya Bixa Limited Managing Director said the company is ready to absorb all the bixa produced and is exploring new markets in Europe and Asia as demand for natural food colours continues to rise globally, driven by the shift away from synthetic dyes.
