What to Farm in Makueni County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Makueni ranks 1st for pigeon peas and 1st for cowpeas among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Makueni Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Pigeon peas
91,932 tonnes
1st of 19 counties
133,334 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 50.1% of Kenya
Cowpeas
52,059 tonnes
1st of 37 counties
68,023 ha · 0.8 t per ha · 33.0% of Kenya
Green grams (ndengu)
39,903 tonnes
2nd of 33 counties
76,212 ha · 0.5 t per ha · 23.4% of Kenya
Dry beans
23,552 tonnes
12th of 39 counties
52,656 ha · 0.4 t per ha · 2.9% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Makueni with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Makueni: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Makueni.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Not given | 119 bales of lint | Not given | 10th of 21 | 1.7% |
| Macadamia | 47 | 52 t nuts | 1.1 | 12th of 12 | 0.1% |
| Coffee | Not given | 61 t clean coffee | Not given | 21st of 32 | 0.1% |
| Cowpeas | 68,023 | 52,059 t | 0.8 | 1st of 37 | 33.0% |
| Pigeon peas | 133,334 | 91,932 t | 0.7 | 1st of 19 | 50.1% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 76,212 | 39,903 t | 0.5 | 2nd of 33 | 23.4% |
| Pearl millet | 139 | 53 t | 0.4 | 5th of 5 | 0.1% |
| Sorghum | 7,113 | 2,532 t | 0.4 | 12th of 41 | 1.3% |
| Dry beans | 52,656 | 23,552 t | 0.4 | 12th of 39 | 2.9% |
| Maize | 136,912 | 81,363 t | 0.6 | 18th of 47 | 2.1% |
| Finger millet | 108 | 97 t | 0.9 | 21st of 27 | 0.2% |
| Irish potatoes | 75 | 330 t | 4.4 | 24th of 28 | <0.1% |
| Sweet potatoes | 190 | 1,380 t | 7.3 | 31st of 42 | 0.2% |
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 Makueni
Numbers kept in Makueni in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy goats | 14,992 | 12th of 47 | 2.5% |
| Meat goats | 852,341 | 13th of 47 | 2.5% |
| Beef cattle | 199,654 | 27th of 47 | 1.2% |
| Hair sheep | 112,731 | 28th of 47 | 0.5% |
| Dairy cattle | 27,216 | 31st of 47 | 0.5% |
| Donkeys | 38,186 | 10th of 46 | 2.2% |
| Beehives | 49,173 | 10th of 47 | 2.9% |
| Rabbits | 16,541 | 16th of 46 | 2.1% |
| Camels | 650 | 19th of 26 | <0.1% |
| Pigs | 3,082 | 26th of 43 | 0.4% |
| Indigenous chicken | 1.4 million | 11th of 47 | 2.6% |
| Geese | 2,992 | 20th of 43 | 1.5% |
| Broilers | 26,972 | 21st of 47 | 0.5% |
| Layers | 37,706 | 31st of 47 | 0.6% |
| Ducks | 911 | 38th of 45 | 0.2% |
When to Plant in Makueni
Makueni is in a two-season area. Two seasons. Long rains: plant March to April, harvest July to August. Short rains: plant October to November, harvest February to March. In the Eastern region the short rains are the most reliable.
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 Makueni
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Pigeon peas
Up 89% since 2019
tonnes
Cowpeas
Up 18% since 2019
tonnes
Green grams (ndengu)
Down 20% since 2019
tonnes
Dry beans
Down 15% 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 Makueni
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Pigeon peas
In 2023 Makueni produced 91,932 tonnes of pigeon peas. That ranks 1st of 19 counties and gives 50.1% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 133,334 ha, a yield of 0.7 t per ha. That is about 13% above the national average of 0.6. Output rose 89% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and October to November. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Cowpeas
In 2023 Makueni produced 52,059 tonnes of cowpeas. That ranks 1st of 37 counties and gives 33.0% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 68,023 ha, a yield of 0.8 t per ha. That is about 15% above the national average of 0.7. Output rose 18% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and October to November. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Green grams (ndengu)
In 2023 Makueni produced 39,903 tonnes of green grams. That ranks 2nd of 33 counties and gives 23.4% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 76,212 ha, a yield of 0.5 t per ha. That is about 14% below the national average of 0.6. Output fell 20% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and October to November. Sell through local markets, traders and millers. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Beehives
Makueni recorded about 49,173 beehives in 2023. That ranks 10th of 47 counties and gives 2.9% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Other leading counties: Kitui, Baringo, Tharaka Nithi.
Donkeys
Makueni recorded about 38,186 donkeys in 2023. That ranks 10th of 46 counties and gives 2.2% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Where to Sell in Makueni
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 Makueni
- 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 4 cooperative societies running 12 factories in Makueni.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Dairy
Dairy outlets listed for Makueni:
- Makiou Dairy Farmers Cooperative (Kilome, Kasikeu and nearby)
Access: many outlets take milk only from registered members or suppliers. Ask about membership and price before you deliver.
Livestock
Makueni has one of the densest livestock market networks in Kenya, per a SPARC national mapping.
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.
Know a buyer or a market in Makueni 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 Makueni
The national strategy backs these products in Makueni. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Makueni County
Makueni is in the Semi-Arid Uplands zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm. Parts of Makueni are in AEZ Zone V: arid land with 300 to 600 mm of rain.
- Crops the zone favours
- Dryland crops such as sorghum and peas.
- Livestock and fish
- Beef cattle.
- Rain and soil
- One season of low rain. Acidic soils of low to medium fertility.
- Farming households
- About 0.5 million farming households
- Typical rainfall
- 600 to 1,200 mm
- Typical farm size
- 2 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 Makueni’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 Makueni
What crops grow best in Makueni County?
Makueni ranks 1st for pigeon peas and 1st for cowpeas. The biggest crop areas are maize (136,912 ha), pigeon peas (133,334 ha), green grams (76,212 ha).
Which livestock is common in Makueni County?
Makueni ranks 10th for beehives, 10th for donkeys, 11th for indigenous chicken. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Makueni County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Makueni above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Makueni County in?
The national strategy places Makueni in the Semi-Arid Uplands zone. Our AEZ guide explains how zones, rain and soil shape what you can grow.
How do I work out profit in Makueni 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 Makueni
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Makueni
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 Makueni: 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 Makueni 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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