The Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) has launched a sunflower farming programme in Muhoroni SubCounty, Kisumu County, aimed at helping farmers diversify their crops and increase their incomes.
The project, being implemented in partnership with GreenTec Hub, is expected to put more than 200 acres under sunflower cultivation and connect smallholder farmers to livestock feed and edible oil markets.
LBDA Managing Director Wycliffe Ochiaga, whose speech was read by the Director of Engineering Services and Infrastructure Development, Jacob Akuno, said sunflower farming could play a key role in transforming rural economies.
Speaking during the launch at the Muhoroni Integrated Technology Transfer Centre (ITTC), he said the programme would support job creation, improve food security and promote agro-industrial growth across the Lake Basin region.
“The sunflower value chain directly connects farmers to both livestock feed markets and edible oil processing, making it one of the most resilient and profitable agricultural investments,” Ochiaga said.
The initiative aims to develop a complete value chain covering production, processing and marketing.
Sunflower seeds will be processed into cooking oil, while the by-product, known as sunflower cake, will be used in livestock feed production.
According to LBDA, the programme is based on the use of improved seed varieties, modern farming methods and stronger market links to help farmers increase yields and earnings.
Ochiaga said sunflower was well suited to western Kenya because it requires moderate inputs, can withstand dry conditions and matures relatively quickly.
He added that post-harvest handling, including drying, storage, aggregation and transport, would be critical to ensuring farmers receive higher returns from their produce.
Under the partnership, GreenTec Hub will supply certified sunflower seeds, provide technical support and training, and guarantee a market for the harvest.
LBDA and the Kisumu County government will support farmer mobilisation, access to land and irrigation services.
Ochiaga also urged farmers to form cooperatives and producer groups to strengthen their bargaining power and improve supply to processors.
Many farmers in the region have traditionally depended on sugarcane farming, which has faced challenges including unstable markets and low returns.
LBDA said the sunflower project is intended to encourage crop diversification and value addition while creating a more structured market system.
Addressing farmers, Ochiaga said the initiative was designed to respond to long-standing concerns about access to reliable markets.
The authority estimates that farmers could earn up to 40% more per hectare from sunflower farming than from maize production if the programme is successfully implemented.
Stakeholders at the launch described the initiative as an important step towards agricultural diversification, rural industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
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