The County Government of Nakuru has distributed 45,000 kilograms of certified sunflower seeds to 11,900 farmers planting the crop on a total of 20,000 acres across the devolved unit.
The initiative, a partnership between the devolved unit’s administration and the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), through the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate, targets to increase the acreage under the crop to more than 30,000 acres within the next three years across the eleven constituencies.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Mr. Leonard Bor indicated that the seeds were distributed to registered farmers under Governor Susan Kihika’s initiative to empower the farmers and create employment.
“The expected yield of the sunflower in the County is 3000 metric Tonnes. We are championing sunflower farming as a key commercial and rotational crop to economically empower farmers upon harvest,” stated Mr. Bor.
Under the initiative, the County Government is coordinating the distribution of certified planting material to farmers, subsidised fertiliser, providing market linkages, and enhancing value addition to boost farmers’ earnings.
Mr. Bor made the remarks when he visited Mercy Girls Sunflower Refining and Processing Company in Lare Ward, Njoro Sub-County, which is involved in sunflower value addition.
The CECM emphasized the importance of partnerships to enhance sunflower production and improve market access for farmers. He highlighted that county extension officers will train farmers on proper agronomic practices to maximise production. Additionally, he noted that sunflower by-products serve as a key ingredient for high-protein livestock feed formulation.
Mr. Bor pledged that the county government is determined to have farmers access quality sunflower seeds and enhance agriculture extension services for farmers towards increasing edible oil products.
Mercy Girls Company produces a range of products from sunflower, including sunflower oil, soap, animal feeds, candles, and shoe glue.
“The County Government has acknowledged that the best way to create jobs for our citizens is through agriculture. We are promoting sunflower production to put money in the hands of our people. This initiative is part of Governor Susan Kihika’s broader agenda to promote agribusiness, enhance food security, and create sustainable livelihoods for Nakuru farmers,” Mr. Bor pointed out.
Two main categories of Sunflower-Hybrid Variety and Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) are grown in the county.
Several hybrid varieties, which include Sunbeam, Mammoth, Autumn Beauty, Teddy Bear, and Kenya Fedha, are grown in different parts of the devolved unit. They mature in three to four months.
The CECM announced that the sunflower farmers will sell edible oil in the local market if they harvest desirable quantities.
He said through public-private partnerships, Governor Kihika’s administration was enabling the farmers to access services such as tilling their land, supervision, and extension services during propagation.
“We are supporting the farmers to ensure they grow the sunflower satisfactorily. Ultimately, our vision is to support them with machines to enable them to produce their cooking oil for sale in our local markets,” Mr. Bor said.
He was optimistic that the production of edible oil will help to eradicate poverty in the area.
The official told the farmers to take the initiative seriously to ensure they harvest the targeted quantity of sunflowers. “I urge every farmer to plant the seeds and exercise the best agricultural practices in nurturing them. This will enhance desirable harvests,” he said.
He added, “We urge farmers to take up the crop since there is low production despite the county having great potential. The farmers have been organised into three clusters for more streamlined support and training.”
Mr. Bor said the County Government was promoting oil crop farming to reduce the import bill for edible oils and lower the prices of cooking oil in Kenya.
He noted that sunflower, which had a huge unmet demand, guarantees a ready local and international market.
He stated that although sunflower was drought-resistant and adaptable to many ecological zones, Kenya is currently producing less than 50 per cent of her needs.
“Kenya spends at least Sh160 billion annually to import edible oils from other countries, mainly Southeast Asian countries. Governor Kihika’s administration has embarked on a sunflower promotion project that aims to boost local production of the oil crops and address the cost of edible oils in the country,” he disclosed.
Kenyan manufacturers have been grappling with huge deficits in the production of sunflower. Key players, who manufacture edible oils locally, have resorted to importing sunflower from Tanzania and Uganda to sustain processing demand.
He observed that the oil crop industries had the potential to create over 200,000 jobs in the devolved unit directly and indirectly through the establishment of cottage industries and the production of livestock feed.
According to data from the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate under the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Kenya produces only 34 per cent of its edible oils and fat requirements, with the deficit being imported mainly from South Asian countries.
Statistics from AFA indicate that the country remains a net importer of vegetable oils as local production has not grown to meet local demand, yet many oil seeds such as canola, sunflower, simsim, coconut, and groundnuts can be grown and processed locally.
AFA has further indicated that the country’s import bill of edible oils has been increasing at an annual rate of 15 per cent due to skyrocketing demand locally.
The CECM noted that Kenya consumes 900 metric tonnes of edible oils annually, of which only six per cent is sourced locally.
He indicated that sunflowers grow well in areas with sparse rainfall, and the soil should be slightly acidic with a pH of between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mr. Bor explained that the hybrid varieties have higher oil content and better yields per acre, averaging 25 bags, while Open Pollinated Varieties have an advantage that their seed can be recycled four times.
Sunflower by-products such as sunflower cakes have a ready market in the animal feed manufacturers’ industries, stated the CECM. “Farmers can make more profits,” he added, “if they incorporate value addition in the enterprise as compared to selling the raw seed.”
He stated that oil crops have been found to reduce erosion, improve soil water retention, and lead to fewer weeds, pests, and diseases. Oil crop yields, he says, are 25 per cent more compared to other crops.
Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), through the Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate, is currently conducting a series of barazas at the ward level in collaboration with several County Governments, namely Nakuru, Nyeri, Meru, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Machakos, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Makueni, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Homabay, Migori, Kakamega, Siaya, and Bungoma.
These forums are aimed at building the capacity of farmers by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills for successful sunflower farming. As part of this initiative, farmers are also being issued free sunflower seeds, providing them with both the tools and expertise needed to contribute to the national edible oil promotion program.
The project aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, with the goal of reducing Kenya’s dependency on edible oil imports.
This move is intended to ease the pressure on the country’s foreign reserves, support employment creation, and promote agro-processing industries. Over 50,000 farmers are set to benefit from the free sunflower seeds, with up to 60,000 acres expected to be planted across the nation.
By Jane Ngugi and Nicole Nduuti