What to Farm in Kakamega County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Kakamega ranks 2nd for sugarcane and 4th for pigs among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Kakamega Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Sugarcane
87,367 tonnes of sugar
2nd of 13 counties
47,866 ha · 19.6% of Kenya
Indigenous chicken
3.4 million birds
4th of 47 counties
6.3% of Kenya
Dry beans
43,540 tonnes
7th of 39 counties
49,279 ha · 0.9 t per ha · 5.3% of Kenya
Sweet potatoes
20,729 tonnes
7th of 42 counties
2,996 ha · 6.9 t per ha · 3.1% of Kenya
Maize
132,572 tonnes
9th of 47 counties
87,532 ha · 1.5 t per ha · 3.5% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Kakamega with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Kakamega: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Kakamega.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugarcane | 47,866 | 87,367 t sugar | Not given | 2nd of 13 | 19.6% |
| Coffee | Not given | 29 t clean coffee | Not given | 26th of 32 | <0.1% |
| Dry beans | 49,279 | 43,540 t | 0.9 | 7th of 39 | 5.3% |
| Sweet potatoes | 2,996 | 20,729 t | 6.9 | 7th of 42 | 3.1% |
| Maize | 87,532 | 132,572 t | 1.5 | 9th of 47 | 3.5% |
| Cowpeas | 1,762 | 1,291 t | 0.7 | 11th of 37 | 0.8% |
| Finger millet | 291 | 189 t | 0.6 | 18th of 27 | 0.5% |
| Sorghum | 448 | 575 t | 1.3 | 24th of 41 | 0.3% |
| Irish potatoes | 8 | 90 t | 11.2 | 27th of 28 | <0.1% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 30 | 22 t | 0.7 | 30th of 33 | <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 Kakamega
Numbers kept in Kakamega in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy goats | 10,074 | 13th of 47 | 1.7% |
| Beef cattle | 320,621 | 15th of 47 | 2.0% |
| Wool sheep | 450 | 18th of 20 | <0.1% |
| Dairy cattle | 106,845 | 19th of 47 | 1.9% |
| Meat goats | 119,461 | 31st of 47 | 0.3% |
| Hair sheep | 86,038 | 31st of 47 | 0.4% |
| Pigs | 83,299 | 4th of 43 | 9.9% |
| Rabbits | 61,721 | 4th of 46 | 7.9% |
| Beehives | 46,403 | 12th of 47 | 2.8% |
| Camels | 9 | 23rd of 26 | <0.1% |
| Donkeys | 2,413 | 35th of 46 | 0.1% |
| Quails | 12,364 | 1st of 19 | 40.4% |
| Ducks | 59,260 | 2nd of 45 | 11.2% |
| Guinea fowl | 12,131 | 2nd of 38 | 14.1% |
| Pigeons | 22,760 | 2nd of 28 | 10.1% |
| Indigenous chicken | 3.4 million | 4th of 47 | 6.3% |
| Geese | 12,955 | 4th of 43 | 6.5% |
| Layers | 434,247 | 5th of 47 | 6.8% |
| Turkeys | 19,241 | 5th of 44 | 8.1% |
| Broilers | 344,492 | 6th of 47 | 6.3% |
When to Plant in Kakamega
Kakamega is in a mixed-altitude area. Higher ground has one season: plant March to April and harvest November to December. Medium altitude has two: plant March to April and September to October.
Darker blocks are the main planting months. Lighter blocks are months some farmers also plant.
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 Kakamega
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sugarcane
Up 13% since 2019
tonnes of sugar
Dry beans
Up 25% since 2019
tonnes
Maize
Down 49% since 2019
tonnes
Sweet potatoes
Up 30% 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 Kakamega
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Sugarcane
In 2023 Kakamega produced 87,367 tonnes of sugar. That ranks 2nd of 13 counties and gives 19.6% of Kenya's output. Output rose 13% between 2019 and 2023. Plant seedlings at the start of the rains. Cane goes to mills such as West Kenya Sugar (Kabras), Mumias Sugar, Butali Sugar. Each mill has a catchment, so register as a grower first.
Pigs
Kakamega recorded about 83,299 pigs in 2023. That ranks 4th of 43 counties and gives 9.9% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Indigenous chicken
Kakamega recorded about 3.4 million indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 4th of 47 counties and gives 6.3% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Layers
Kakamega recorded about 434,247 layers in 2023. That ranks 5th of 47 counties and gives 6.8% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Broilers
Kakamega recorded about 344,492 broilers in 2023. That ranks 6th of 47 counties and gives 6.3% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Where to Sell in Kakamega
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 Kakamega
- 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 6 cooperative societies running 6 factories in Kakamega.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Sugarcane
Mills listed for Kakamega:
- West Kenya Sugar (Kabras)
- Mumias Sugar
- Butali Sugar
- Olepito Sugar
Access: a mill buys cane from its own catchment. Ask about grower registration, harvest dates and transport before you plant.
Livestock
No named livestock market is in our directory for Kakamega yet.
Ask the county livestock or veterinary office for market names and days. Never move animals without the right permits.
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.
Produce markets
| Market | Commonly traded |
|---|---|
| Butere | sugarcane, maize, beans, cassava, bananas |
| Kakamega Municipal | sugarcane, maize, beans, bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava |
| Khayega | sugarcane, maize, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans |
| Lurambi | maize, beans, cabbages, tomatoes, onions |
| Malava | maize, beans, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, vegetables |
| Mumias | sugarcane, maize, beans, sweet potatoes, bananas |
Know a buyer or a market in Kakamega 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 Kakamega
The national strategy backs these products in Kakamega. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Kakamega County
Kakamega 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 Kakamega’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 Kakamega
What crops grow best in Kakamega County?
Kakamega ranks 2nd for sugarcane and 4th for pigs. The biggest crop areas are maize (87,532 ha), dry beans (49,279 ha), sugarcane (47,866 ha).
Which livestock is common in Kakamega County?
Kakamega ranks 1st for quails, 2nd for guinea fowl, 2nd for ducks. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Kakamega County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Kakamega above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Kakamega County in?
The national strategy places Kakamega 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 Kakamega 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 Kakamega
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Kakamega
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 Kakamega: 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 Kakamega 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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