More than 3,000 farmers in Kenya’s Lake Basin region are set to switch from traditional crops to sunflower farming under a new initiative aimed at boosting incomes, creating jobs and strengthening climate resilience.
The programme, launched through a partnership between the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) and GreenTec Hub Ltd seeks to encourage farmers to move away from crops such as sugarcane and maize in favour of sunflower, which offers higher returns and a guaranteed market.
LBDA Director for Engineering and Infrastructure Development Jacob Akuno said sunflower has been identified as a strategic crop because of its short maturity period, profitability and suitability to the climatic conditions in the region.
He said the crop is well adapted to the region’s soils and weather patterns, making it an attractive alternative for farmers facing the growing impact of climate change and declining returns from conventional crops.
The project will initially reach more than 3,000 farmers, with plans to expand across the wider Lake Basin region and eventually cover over 30,000 growers.
“We are beginning with 3,000 farmers, but our long-term target is to reach more than 30,000,” Akuno said during the launch at Muhoroni Industrial Training and Technology Centre in Kisumu.
He added that a ready market had already been secured through the partnership with GreenTec, easing concerns over post-harvest losses and price fluctuations.
“Our concern is not the market but whether production will be enough because demand for sunflower is very high,” he said.
GreenTec Programme Manager John Kanyi said the initiative aims to close supply gaps in the sunflower industry while equipping farmers with modern production technologies and technical support.
“The buyers are already on board and will purchase all the sunflower produced,” Kanyi said. He also cited demand from food processors and the fast growing biofuel sector.
Under the programme, participating farmers will receive seeds, farm inputs and extension services, while being encouraged to join cooperatives to improve coordination and access to support.
Officials said the sunflower value chain project is expected to strengthen food security, generate rural employment and raise household incomes while advancing Kenya’s climate-smart agriculture agenda.
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