(Kakamega) – Sunflower farmers in Likuyani, Kakamega County, are calling for the prompt completion of a processing plant that will help provide a market for their crop. With their sunflowers nearing harvest, the farmers are concerned about possible losses if the plant is not ready in time to process their produce.
Vincent Lugalo, a local farmer, expects to harvest approximately 600 kilograms of sunflower from his one-acre plot in the next month. Lugalo, who initially grew sunflowers as fodder for his cattle, is now eager to see the completion of the processing plant, which would create a ready market for his crop and encourage him to expand his sunflower cultivation. “If the factory is up and running, it would give me a stable market and the opportunity to grow more sunflowers,” Lugalo said.
Similarly, Oliver Simwa, another sunflower farmer from Likuyani, is facing uncertainty as his two-and-a-half-acre sunflower plot nears harvest. Simwa, who decided to grow sunflowers after the government promoted the crop and promised a processing plant, is unsure what to do if the facility is not ready. “If the factory is not ready, I will have to sell to another farmer who has a processing plant,” Simwa explained. “But we are hopeful that the value chain will be established soon, allowing us to supply the factory and avoid losses.”
The government has launched the construction of an industrial park in Likuyani, which includes the processing plant. The project, which is budgeted at Sh500 million, is a joint venture between the national government and the Kakamega County government. President William Ruto, during the launch, emphasized the importance of the park for agro-processing and value addition, which would increase farmers’ earnings and provide employment opportunities for over 1,000 local youths. “This industrial park will help farmers process their produce, add value, and create a sustainable income,” President Ruto said.
To support the growth of sunflowers in Kakamega, the county government distributed 18,600 kilograms of sunflower seeds to 9,200 farmers in August as part of the Edible Oil Crops Promotion Project. The initiative, in partnership with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), aims to promote sunflower cultivation on over 5,000 acres of land in the county. Lugalo and Simwa were among the beneficiaries of this distribution.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa highlighted that the sunflower initiative is expected to yield 6.44 million kilograms of sunflower seeds, which will be processed into at least 1 million liters of oil, valued at over Sh200 million. The processed oil will be primarily produced at the Likuyani County Aggregation and Industrial Park.
Despite the optimism surrounding the project, local farmers have voiced concerns about the delays in completing the plant. According to a 2019 resource mapping report, sunflower farmers in Kakamega County typically sell their produce to aggregators, individual buyers, or small-scale processors, but they face challenges related to quality loss and contamination if the crops are not quickly processed. The report noted that farmers are keen to get their sunflowers to buyers as soon as possible, with prices ranging between Sh25 and Sh35 per kilogram.