President William Ruto has announced plans to expand Kenya’s agricultural sector through cocoa farming, unveiling the crop as a scheduled cash crop and calling on farmers in suitable areas to take advantage of the new opportunity.
Ruto made the announcement on Saturday, October 10, during the Mazingira Day celebrations in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County, where he distributed cocoa seedlings to farmers.
The initiative is aimed at promoting tree planting while creating additional income opportunities through the production and processing of cocoa.
The president urged farmers living in areas identified as suitable for cocoa cultivation to prepare for the rollout, noting that the crop could support both environmental conservation and the growth of income-generating activities.
"Start preparing yourselves. From cocoa, we can produce beverage mixes, food items, chocolate, and many other products. For that reason, I urge Kenyans in areas mapped out for cocoa cultivation to take up farming it, because it is also a tree. As we reforest our country, we can simultaneously boost our incomes," he said.
Ruto said the government intends to promote cocoa as part of its broader tree-planting efforts, with the crop offering farmers an opportunity to earn from agricultural production while contributing to the restoration of tree cover.
He noted that cocoa has several uses beyond its cultivation as a commercial crop, as its seeds can be processed into ingredients for chocolate, beverages and other food products.
During the event, the president also announced that the government would begin distributing seedlings immediately, with plans to increase their production to meet demand from farmers interested in the crop.
"We are launching cocoa as a scheduled cash crop, and we are distributing seedlings immediately. Our teams at KALRO have conducted research and already have seedlings available, and we will now form a partnership between KEPHIS and KALRO to produce a sufficient supply of cocoa seedlings for everyone," he said.
The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) has already carried out research on cocoa and has seedlings available, according to Ruto.
The government intends to establish a partnership between KALRO and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to ensure that more seedlings can be produced and supplied to farmers as the programme expands.
The planned collaboration is expected to support access to planting materials for farmers in areas mapped out for cocoa production, allowing them to participate in the new agricultural venture.
Cocoa is obtained from the seeds of a tropical tree. After harvesting, the seeds undergo fermentation and drying before being ground and processed into ingredients used to manufacture chocolate and other products.
The crop is a major source of agricultural income in several African countries, with the continent accounting for approximately 70 per cent of global cocoa production. Côte d'Ivoire leads the market, producing roughly 40 per cent of the world's cocoa beans, followed by Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Other African producers include São Tomé and Príncipe and Madagascar, which harvest smaller quantities but are known for beans valued by chocolate makers for their distinctive flavours.
In East Africa, Uganda and Tanzania have also been developing their cocoa industries, placing Kenya among countries in the region seeking to explore opportunities in the crop.
Ruto's announcement introduces cocoa farming into Kenya's scheduled cash crop programme, with the government looking to connect agricultural production, tree planting and income generation.
Through the distribution of seedlings and the planned cooperation between KALRO and KEPHIS, the government intends to establish a supply system that can support farmers seeking to grow cocoa in suitable parts of the country.