State initiates plan to revive cashew nuts sector
The national government, counties and private sector have initiated a revival process of the multi-billion shilling cashew nuts sector to boost small-scale farmers’ earnings to over Sh33 billion by 2027
Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga confirmed that a seven-year proposal has been developed with the help of private sector targeting to increase production to over 200, 000 tonnes.
Kenya’s production currently stands at a meagre annual production of 5,000 tonnes compared to Tanzania’s 300,000 tonnes.
The 90-year-old crop mainly grown in Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita Taveta and Tharaka Nithi counties is characterised by small holdings involving about 68,000 farmers owning an average of less than two acres.
Currently it employs over 4,000 people directly and 50,000 people indirectly. In the proposal, Boga said farmers will be assisted to replace their ageing trees with new, higher-yielding varieties and invest in proper and cashew specialist agronomy and services such as pruning, disease control and proper post-harvest management.
Coastal counties
To jumpstart cashew nut farming in the coastal counties, Boga said the government plans to partner with ETG Farmers Foundation (EFF), a registered non-profit organisation that a has a extensive experience in transforming agriculture value chains.
“We are currently reviewing the proposal for partnership from EFF which aspires to transform the livelihoods of communities living in rural coastal regions by impacting over 700,000 smallholder farmers,” he said during a media Webinar early this week.
Boga noted that as enshrined in the Big Four agenda and the 10-year Agriculture Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy, the government is committed to bringing back to life the once vibrant sector in the coastal region.
