President William Ruto has launched cocoa cultivation as a scheduled cash crop in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, urging farmers in designated areas to take advantage of the new opportunity.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

He made the announcement on Saturday, October 10, during Mazingira Day celebrations at Elgon Downs in Endebess, where he noted that the government would support farmers by distributing seedlings and working with agricultural institutions to expand their supply.

Ruto said the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) had already conducted research and prepared seedlings for planting.

“Today, here in Kitale, we are launching cocoa as a scheduled cash crop, and we are going to be distributing seedlings. Our people at KALRO have conducted research, and we have seedlings ready,” he said.

📌 What You Need to Know

The President announced plans to partner with KALRO and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to produce enough seedlings for interested farmers.

He sought information on the cost of seedlings, which was said to be Ksh200 each, indicating that the government could provide subsidies if necessary to make them more affordable.

“Seedlings cost Ksh200, but we will negotiate, and if there is a problem, I will allocate a subsidy so that all citizens can access them,” he added.

Ruto encouraged farmers in areas identified as suitable for cocoa cultivation to prepare for the rollout and consider adding the crop to their farming activities.

He argued that growing cocoa trees could support both higher household incomes and the country’s environmental conservation efforts.

Further, he pointed to opportunities for processing cocoa into products such as chocolate and beverage mixes, including Bournvita and Milo.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke