What to Farm in Kisumu County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Kisumu ranks 1st for pigs and 2nd for broilers among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Kisumu Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Sugarcane
53,874 tonnes of sugar
3rd of 13 counties
29,516 ha · 12.1% of Kenya
Sorghum
26,946 tonnes
4th of 41 counties
21,500 ha · 1.3 t per ha · 13.7% of Kenya
Indigenous chicken
3.4 million birds
5th of 47 counties
6.2% of Kenya
Sweet potatoes
28,969 tonnes
5th of 42 counties
2,951 ha · 9.8 t per ha · 4.3% of Kenya
Green grams (ndengu)
2,827 tonnes
8th of 33 counties
4,220 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 1.7% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Kisumu with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Kisumu: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Kisumu.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugarcane | 29,516 | 53,874 t sugar | Not given | 3rd of 13 | 12.1% |
| Cotton | Not given | 72 bales of lint | Not given | 12th of 21 | 1.0% |
| Coffee | Not given | 62 t clean coffee | Not given | 20th of 32 | 0.1% |
| Sorghum | 21,500 | 26,946 t | 1.3 | 4th of 41 | 13.7% |
| Sweet potatoes | 2,951 | 28,969 t | 9.8 | 5th of 42 | 4.3% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 4,220 | 2,827 t | 0.7 | 8th of 33 | 1.7% |
| Cowpeas | 6,140 | 1,257 t | 0.2 | 12th of 37 | 0.8% |
| Maize | 62,195 | 105,003 t | 1.7 | 13th of 47 | 2.8% |
| Dry beans | 30,755 | 23,247 t | 0.8 | 15th of 39 | 2.8% |
| Finger millet | 83 | 34 t | 0.4 | 23rd of 27 | <0.1% |
Yield is output divided by area. Coffee is the 2022 to 2023 crop year. Sugar, tea and cotton show processed output.
Livestock and Poultry Kept in Kisumu
Numbers kept in Kisumu in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair sheep | 267,464 | 17th of 47 | 1.2% |
| Beef cattle | 229,614 | 24th of 47 | 1.4% |
| Dairy goats | 4,244 | 26th of 47 | 0.7% |
| Meat goats | 210,596 | 29th of 47 | 0.6% |
| Dairy cattle | 25,218 | 32nd of 47 | 0.5% |
| Pigs | 159,290 | 1st of 43 | 19.0% |
| Rabbits | 11,806 | 20th of 46 | 1.5% |
| Donkeys | 3,526 | 33rd of 46 | 0.2% |
| Beehives | 5,020 | 41st of 47 | 0.3% |
| Broilers | 676,403 | 2nd of 47 | 12.3% |
| Indigenous chicken | 3.4 million | 5th of 47 | 6.2% |
| Pigeons | 4,244 | 8th of 28 | 1.9% |
| Quails | 155 | 13th of 19 | 0.5% |
| Layers | 71,326 | 18th of 47 | 1.1% |
| Guinea fowl | 753 | 23rd of 38 | 0.9% |
| Ducks | 5,872 | 24th of 45 | 1.1% |
| Turkeys | 804 | 30th of 44 | 0.3% |
| Geese | 1,237 | 31st of 43 | 0.6% |
When to Plant in Kisumu
Kisumu is in a two-season area. Two seasons. Long rains: plant March to April, harvest July to August. Short rains: plant September to October, harvest December to January.
Blocks show the usual months.
Source: FEWS NET Kenya country book, citing a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Rain onset is erratic, so planting can stretch from March to May. Windows suit crops of 4 to 7 months. Tea, coffee, macadamia and sugarcane go in at the start of the rains. Altitude changes the pattern inside a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Five-Year Trends in Kisumu
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sorghum
Up 24% since 2019
tonnes
Sugarcane
Down 17% since 2019
tonnes of sugar
Sweet potatoes
Down 14% since 2019
tonnes
Dry beans
Up 18% since 2019
tonnes
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Counties report these figures and they can swing from year to year. Read the direction, not one year.
The Main Products in Kisumu
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Pigs
Kisumu recorded about 159,290 pigs in 2023. That ranks 1st of 43 counties and gives 19.0% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Broilers
Kisumu recorded about 676,403 broilers in 2023. That ranks 2nd of 47 counties and gives 12.3% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Sugarcane
In 2023 Kisumu produced 53,874 tonnes of sugar. That ranks 3rd of 13 counties and gives 12.1% of Kenya's output. Output fell 17% between 2019 and 2023. Plant seedlings at the start of the rains. Cane goes to mills such as Chemelil Sugar, Muhoroni Sugar. Each mill has a catchment, so register as a grower first.
Sorghum
In 2023 Kisumu produced 26,946 tonnes of sorghum. That ranks 4th of 41 counties and gives 13.7% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 21,500 ha, a yield of 1.3 t per ha. That is about 32% above the national average of 1.0. Output rose 24% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Indigenous chicken
Kisumu recorded about 3.4 million indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 5th of 47 counties and gives 6.2% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Where to Sell in Kisumu
Buyers, factories and markets to check first. Each one is a lead, not a promise.
Confirm before delivering. Every name here is a lead from a research directory compiled on 8 November 2026. Operators, catchments and rules change. We have not checked each one.
How to find a buyer in Kisumu
- Check farm gate and wholesale prices on KAMIS. It covers five markets in every county.
- Ask the county cooperative officer which registered societies buy your product.
- Visit the buyer first. Ask for the grade, price, payment date and who pays transport.
- Start with one small delivery before you commit your harvest.
Coffee
The Coffee Directorate Year Book 2022/23 records 3 cooperative societies running 3 factories in Kisumu.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Sugarcane
Mills listed for Kisumu:
- Chemelil Sugar
- Muhoroni Sugar
Access: a mill buys cane from its own catchment. Ask about grower registration, harvest dates and transport before you plant.
Fish
Landing points: Dunga, Usoma, Kichinjio and other Lake Victoria landing points.
Grain and pulses
National buyers and channels:
- National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots
- Unga Group
- Pembe Flour Mills
- Mombasa Maize Millers
- Capwell Industries
- Kitui Flour Mills
Confirm grades, bag sizes and payment terms before you deliver.
Know a buyer or a market in Kisumu that should be listed? Tell us on WhatsApp. Please send the business name, product, location and how farmers can sell to it.
Priority Value Chains in Kisumu
The national strategy backs these products in Kisumu. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Kisumu County
Kisumu is in the Western zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm.
- Crops the zone favours
- Maize, French beans, sugar, groundnuts, sweet potato and Irish potatoes.
- Livestock and fish
- Dairy, poultry and fish.
- Rain and soil
- Two medium rainy seasons. Red soils of medium to high fertility.
- Farming households
- About 1.6 million farming households
- Typical rainfall
- 1,200 to 1,800 mm
- Typical farm size
- 0.5 to 5 acres
- Typical household income
- about KES 15,000 a month
Income, farm size and rainfall are 2019 strategy estimates. Read the AEZ guide to see how zones are set.
Test the Profit of Kisumu’s Top Products
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What These Figures Do Not Show
Fruit and vegetables
The report has no county figures for tomatoes, avocados or onions. Check local buyers first.
Fish
Fish output is reported by lake and sea, not by county. See the fish guide.
Your ward
Soil and rain change inside a county. Ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Your profit
Output is not profit. Run your own costs in the profit calculator.
Questions About Farming in Kisumu
What crops grow best in Kisumu County?
Kisumu ranks 1st for pigs and 2nd for broilers. The biggest crop areas are maize (62,195 ha), dry beans (30,755 ha), sugarcane (29,516 ha).
Which livestock is common in Kisumu County?
Kisumu ranks 1st for pigs, 2nd for broilers, 5th for indigenous chicken. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Kisumu County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Kisumu above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Kisumu County in?
The national strategy places Kisumu in the Western zone. Our AEZ guide explains how zones, rain and soil shape what you can grow.
How do I work out profit in Kisumu County?
Open the farm profit calculator, choose your product, then enter your acres, yield and local price.
Does this cover my sub-county or ward?
No. The national figures stop at county level. Soil and rain change across a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Where do the figures come from?
The KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024 is the source. Figures are for 2023, and coffee uses crop year 2022 to 2023.
Ask About Farming in Kisumu
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Kisumu
Farm business plan
A costed plan for your acreage, market and cash flow. Banks and Saccos ask for one. Ask for a quote.
Finance for your farm
Learn what lenders ask for, which securities they accept and how to apply. We can help you prepare.
County agribusiness brief
For banks, programmes, investors and county teams. A short paid brief on Kisumu: products, buyers, risks and gaps.
About This Page
Updated 8 November 2026. Production figures are 2023 data from the national report. Buyer and season notes were compiled on the same date.
How we made this page
County output, area and rank come from the KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Rank compares Kisumu with the counties that report the product. Yield is output divided by area. Trend charts use the same report’s five-year tables.
Planting seasons follow the FEWS NET Kenya country book, which cites a 2024 Ministry of Agriculture official. Zone details come from the 2019 national strategy (ASTGS), explained in our AEZ guide.
Buyer names come from four sources. One is third-party research for Agcenture. The others are the Coffee Directorate Year Book, Brookside’s supplier page and the Kenya Dairy Board register. Prices come from KAMIS. We have not verified each buyer. Tell us if something is wrong.
Written and maintained by the Agcenture editorial team. Report a correction on WhatsApp.
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