What to Farm in Taita Taveta County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Taita Taveta ranks 6th for pigeon peas and 8th for layers among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Taita Taveta Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Pigeon peas
670 tonnes
6th of 19 counties
992 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 0.4% of Kenya
Green grams (ndengu)
2,280 tonnes
10th of 33 counties
3,305 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 1.3% of Kenya
Macadamia
512 tonnes of nuts
11th of 12 counties
79 ha · 6.5 t per ha · 1.3% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Taita Taveta with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Taita Taveta: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Taita Taveta.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macadamia | 79 | 512 t nuts | 6.5 | 11th of 12 | 1.3% |
| Cotton | Not given | 92 bales of lint | Not given | 11th of 21 | 1.3% |
| Pigeon peas | 992 | 670 t | 0.7 | 6th of 19 | 0.4% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 3,305 | 2,280 t | 0.7 | 10th of 33 | 1.3% |
| Sweet potatoes | 376 | 6,191 t | 16.5 | 12th of 42 | 0.9% |
| Cowpeas | 2,009 | 925 t | 0.5 | 13th of 37 | 0.6% |
| Sorghum | 1,991 | 1,193 t | 0.6 | 16th of 41 | 0.6% |
| Irish potatoes | 553 | 2,467 t | 4.5 | 20th of 28 | 0.1% |
| Dry beans | 3,837 | 3,332 t | 0.9 | 32nd of 39 | 0.4% |
| Maize | 11,464 | 10,911 t | 1.0 | 38th of 47 | 0.3% |
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 Taita Taveta
Numbers kept in Taita Taveta in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy goats | 5,221 | 22nd of 47 | 0.9% |
| Meat goats | 372,333 | 25th of 47 | 1.1% |
| Dairy cattle | 32,981 | 29th of 47 | 0.6% |
| Beef cattle | 158,925 | 30th of 47 | 1.0% |
| Hair sheep | 64,096 | 36th of 47 | 0.3% |
| Camels | 1,242 | 18th of 26 | <0.1% |
| Rabbits | 14,582 | 18th of 46 | 1.9% |
| Pigs | 2,725 | 28th of 43 | 0.3% |
| Donkeys | 3,894 | 31st of 46 | 0.2% |
| Beehives | 13,983 | 34th of 47 | 0.8% |
| Layers | 204,880 | 8th of 47 | 3.2% |
| Guinea fowl | 2,225 | 12th of 38 | 2.6% |
| Ducks | 11,421 | 13th of 45 | 2.2% |
| Pigeons | 842 | 15th of 28 | 0.4% |
| Broilers | 71,207 | 16th of 47 | 1.3% |
| Indigenous chicken | 796,494 | 23rd of 47 | 1.5% |
| Turkeys | 844 | 28th of 44 | 0.4% |
| Geese | 725 | 36th of 43 | 0.4% |
When to Plant in Taita Taveta
Taita Taveta 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.
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 Taita Taveta
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Green grams (ndengu)
Down 19% since 2019
tonnes
Sweet potatoes
Up 78% since 2019
tonnes
Sorghum
Down 70% since 2019
tonnes
Cowpeas
Up 21% 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 Taita Taveta
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Pigeon peas
In 2023 Taita Taveta produced 670 tonnes of pigeon peas. That ranks 6th of 19 counties and gives 0.4% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 992 ha, a yield of 0.7 t per ha. That is about 11% above the national average of 0.6. Output rose 931% 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.
Layers
Taita Taveta recorded about 204,880 layers in 2023. That ranks 8th of 47 counties and gives 3.2% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Green grams (ndengu)
In 2023 Taita Taveta produced 2,280 tonnes of green grams. That ranks 10th of 33 counties and gives 1.3% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 3,305 ha, a yield of 0.7 t per ha. That is about 13% above the national average of 0.6. Output fell 19% 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.
Indigenous chicken
Taita Taveta recorded about 796,494 indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 23rd of 47 counties and gives 1.5% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Broilers
Taita Taveta recorded about 71,207 broilers in 2023. That ranks 16th of 47 counties and gives 1.3% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Where to Sell in Taita Taveta
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 Taita Taveta
- 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 1 cooperative societies running 1 factories in Taita Taveta.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
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 Taita Taveta 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 Taita Taveta
The national strategy backs these products in Taita Taveta. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Taita Taveta County
Taita Taveta is in the Central ASALs zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm.
- Crops the zone favours
- Mostly pastoralism, with some maize on raised plateaus.
- Livestock and fish
- Beef cattle, goats and sheep.
- Rain and soil
- One season of rain at best. Salty, low-fertility soils.
- Farming households
- About 0.3 million farming households
- Typical rainfall
- 400 to 800 mm
- Typical farm size
- Group ranches
- Typical household income
- under KES 10,000 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 Taita Taveta’s Top Products
Pick a product. See revenue, costs and break-even for your acreage in seconds.
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 Taita Taveta
What crops grow best in Taita Taveta County?
Taita Taveta ranks 6th for pigeon peas and 8th for layers. The biggest crop areas are maize (11,464 ha), dry beans (3,837 ha), green grams (3,305 ha).
Which livestock is common in Taita Taveta County?
Taita Taveta ranks 8th for layers, 12th for guinea fowl, 13th for ducks. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Taita Taveta County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Taita Taveta above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Taita Taveta County in?
The national strategy places Taita Taveta in the Central ASALs zone. Our AEZ guide explains how zones, rain and soil shape what you can grow.
How do I work out profit in Taita Taveta 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 Taita Taveta
Tell us what you want to grow or keep. An Agcenture adviser replies on WhatsApp.
This opens WhatsApp with your answers filled in. Nothing is sent until you press send.
Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Taita Taveta
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 Taita Taveta: 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 Taita Taveta 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.
Need Help Choosing in Taita Taveta?
Tell an Agcenture adviser your land size and budget. We help you pick a product, find buyers and plan the money.