The government of Kenya has announced plans to revive pyrethrum farming. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya revealed the plans and said KSh 40million has been released to purchase pyrethrum seedlings for farmers in order to step up pyrethrum production in 18 high potential counties.
The CS said the money will be disbursed to the counties immediately to facilitate the purchase of seedlings to enable farmers to begin planting the crop with the ongoing short rains. The seedlings will be sourced from available certified nurseries in the country in a move aimed at spurring production of the crop, whose product, pyrethrin, was in high demand globally.
Mr. Munya also noted that researchers at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Organization (KALRO) were in the process of developing high-yielding and disease-resistant seedlings to be distributed to farmers by April next year.
Increase acreage of crop
“The central government in collaboration with the county governments is committed to supporting farmers in the subsector to increase the acreage of the crop to serve both domestic and international market. The initiative also seeks to encourage participation of the private sector in the growing and processing of pyrethrin to make the subsector competitive after a decade’s slump,” said CS Munya.
Currently, the Nakuru-based Pyrethrum Processing Company (PPCK) is paying Sh200 -Sh250 for each kilogram of pyrethrum flowers delivered at the processing plant. Delayed payments and lack of planting material led to the collapse of the sub-sector which economists say has the potential to provide gainful employment to at least 2 million people in the areas.
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