What to Farm in Vihiga County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Vihiga ranks 19th for sweet potatoes and 20th for indigenous chicken among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Vihiga Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Dairy cattle
45,910 animals
26th of 47 counties
0.8% of Kenya
Dry beans
6,172 tonnes
30th of 39 counties
18,918 ha · 0.3 t per ha · 0.8% of Kenya
Beef cattle
118,750 animals
32nd of 47 counties
0.7% of Kenya
Maize
25,376 tonnes
34th of 47 counties
26,142 ha · 1.0 t per ha · 0.7% of Kenya
Sweet potatoes
4,300 tonnes
19th of 42 counties
353 ha · 12.2 t per ha · 0.6% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Vihiga with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Vihiga: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Vihiga.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee | Not given | 6 t clean coffee | Not given | 31st of 32 | <0.1% |
| Sweet potatoes | 353 | 4,300 t | 12.2 | 19th of 42 | 0.6% |
| Cowpeas | 64 | 100 t | 1.6 | 24th of 37 | <0.1% |
| Finger millet | 20 | 15 t | 0.8 | 26th of 27 | <0.1% |
| Sorghum | 193 | 219 t | 1.1 | 28th of 41 | 0.1% |
| Dry beans | 18,918 | 6,172 t | 0.3 | 30th of 39 | 0.8% |
| Maize | 26,142 | 25,376 t | 1.0 | 34th of 47 | 0.7% |
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 Vihiga
Numbers kept in Vihiga in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy goats | 8,350 | 15th of 47 | 1.4% |
| Dairy cattle | 45,910 | 26th of 47 | 0.8% |
| Beef cattle | 118,750 | 32nd of 47 | 0.7% |
| Hair sheep | 3,840 | 46th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Meat goats | 4,800 | 47th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Pigs | 3,670 | 24th of 43 | 0.4% |
| Rabbits | 5,395 | 28th of 46 | 0.7% |
| Beehives | 4,390 | 42nd of 47 | 0.3% |
| Donkeys | 55 | 44th of 46 | <0.1% |
| Quails | 2,100 | 5th of 19 | 6.9% |
| Guinea fowl | 2,760 | 9th of 38 | 3.2% |
| Pigeons | 520 | 17th of 28 | 0.2% |
| Turkeys | 2,940 | 18th of 44 | 1.2% |
| Indigenous chicken | 924,100 | 20th of 47 | 1.7% |
| Geese | 1,994 | 25th of 43 | 1.0% |
| Ducks | 4,060 | 29th of 45 | 0.8% |
| Broilers | 8,160 | 36th of 47 | 0.1% |
| Layers | 10,400 | 41st of 47 | 0.2% |
When to Plant in Vihiga
Vihiga 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 Vihiga
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Dry beans
Down 65% since 2019
tonnes
Maize
Down 11% since 2019
tonnes
Sweet potatoes
Up 45% since 2019
tonnes
Sorghum
Down 23% 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 Vihiga
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Indigenous chicken
Vihiga recorded about 924,100 indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 20th of 47 counties and gives 1.7% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Dairy cattle
Vihiga recorded about 45,910 dairy cattle in 2023. That ranks 26th of 47 counties and gives 0.8% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Dry beans
In 2023 Vihiga produced 6,172 tonnes of dry beans. That ranks 30th of 39 counties and gives 0.8% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 18,918 ha, a yield of 0.3 t per ha. That is about 53% below the national average of 0.7. Output fell 65% 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.
Beef cattle
Vihiga recorded about 118,750 beef cattle in 2023. That ranks 32nd of 47 counties and gives 0.7% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Maize
In 2023 Vihiga produced 25,376 tonnes of maize. That ranks 34th of 47 counties and gives 0.7% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 26,142 ha, a yield of 1.0 t per ha. That is about 40% below the national average of 1.6. Output fell 11% 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.
Other leading counties: Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Narok.
Where to Sell in Vihiga
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 Vihiga
- 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.
Tea
KTDA factories listed for Vihiga:
- Mudete
Access: factories take leaf from registered growers in their catchment. Confirm the catchment, registration steps and collection point first.
Coffee
The Coffee Directorate Year Book 2022/23 records 4 cooperative societies running 4 factories in Vihiga.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Know a buyer or a market in Vihiga 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 Vihiga
The national strategy backs these products in Vihiga. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Vihiga County
Vihiga 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 Vihiga’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 Vihiga
What crops grow best in Vihiga County?
Vihiga ranks 19th for sweet potatoes and 20th for indigenous chicken. The biggest crop areas are maize (26,142 ha), dry beans (18,918 ha), sweet potatoes (353 ha).
Which livestock is common in Vihiga County?
Vihiga ranks 5th for quails, 9th for guinea fowl, 15th for dairy goats. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Vihiga County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Vihiga above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Vihiga County in?
The national strategy places Vihiga 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 Vihiga 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 Vihiga
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Vihiga
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 Vihiga: 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 Vihiga 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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