What to Farm in Tana River County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Tana River ranks 8th for beef cattle and 8th for camels among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Tana River Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Beef cattle
515,558 animals
8th of 47 counties
3.2% of Kenya
Camels
71,657 animals
8th of 26 counties
1.7% of Kenya
Cowpeas
2,809 tonnes
9th of 37 counties
2,080 ha · 1.4 t per ha · 1.8% of Kenya
Meat goats
908,620 animals
12th of 47 counties
2.6% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Tana River with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Tana River: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Tana River.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Not given | 8 bales of lint | Not given | 18th of 21 | 0.1% |
| Cowpeas | 2,080 | 2,809 t | 1.4 | 9th of 37 | 1.8% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 1,300 | 1,690 t | 1.3 | 11th of 33 | 1.0% |
| Sweet potatoes | 133 | 2,801 t | 21.1 | 27th of 42 | 0.4% |
| Maize | 6,673 | 8,270 t | 1.2 | 39th of 47 | 0.2% |
| Dry beans | 4 | 2 t | 0.5 | 39th of 39 | <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 Tana River
Numbers kept in Tana River in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef cattle | 515,558 | 8th of 47 | 3.2% |
| Meat goats | 908,620 | 12th of 47 | 2.6% |
| Hair sheep | 320,385 | 14th of 47 | 1.5% |
| Dairy goats | 1,098 | 40th of 47 | 0.2% |
| Dairy cattle | 125 | 44th of 47 | <0.1% |
| Camels | 71,657 | 8th of 26 | 1.7% |
| Donkeys | 27,012 | 11th of 46 | 1.6% |
| Beehives | 23,507 | 21st of 47 | 1.4% |
| Rabbits | 419 | 41st of 46 | <0.1% |
| Pigs | 54 | 43rd of 43 | <0.1% |
| Turkeys | 23,266 | 3rd of 44 | 9.8% |
| Geese | 11,087 | 7th of 43 | 5.6% |
| Pigeons | 7,219 | 7th of 28 | 3.2% |
| Ducks | 9,201 | 16th of 45 | 1.7% |
| Guinea fowl | 1,083 | 20th of 38 | 1.3% |
| Layers | 9,099 | 42nd of 47 | 0.1% |
| Indigenous chicken | 110,366 | 43rd of 47 | 0.2% |
| Broilers | 2,506 | 43rd of 47 | <0.1% |
When to Plant in Tana River
Tana River 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. Altitude changes the pattern inside a county, so ask your sub-county agricultural officer.
Five-Year Trends in Tana River
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Cowpeas
Up 248% since 2019
tonnes
Green grams (ndengu)
Up 24% since 2019
tonnes
Sweet potatoes
Up 295% since 2019
tonnes
Maize
Up 56% 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 Tana River
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Beef cattle
Tana River recorded about 515,558 beef cattle in 2023. That ranks 8th of 47 counties and gives 3.2% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Camels
Tana River recorded about 71,657 camels in 2023. That ranks 8th of 26 counties and gives 1.7% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Cowpeas
In 2023 Tana River produced 2,809 tonnes of cowpeas. That ranks 9th of 37 counties and gives 1.8% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 2,080 ha, a reported yield of 1.4 t per ha. The national average is 0.7, so treat the gap with care. Output rose 248% 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.
Meat goats
Tana River recorded about 908,620 meat goats in 2023. That ranks 12th of 47 counties and gives 2.6% of Kenya's total. Sell through livestock markets and traders. Ask the county livestock office for market days.
Donkeys
Tana River recorded about 27,012 donkeys in 2023. That ranks 11th of 46 counties and gives 1.6% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Where to Sell in Tana River
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 Tana River
- 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.
Livestock
No named livestock market is in our directory for Tana River 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.
Know a buyer or a market in Tana River that should be listed? Tell us on WhatsApp. Please send the business name, product, location and how farmers can sell to it.
Rain and Soil in Tana River County
Tana River is in the Semi-Arid Uplands zone of the national strategy. These notes describe the whole zone, not one farm.
- 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 Tana River’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 Tana River
What crops grow best in Tana River County?
Tana River ranks 8th for beef cattle and 8th for camels. The biggest crop areas are maize (6,673 ha), cowpeas (2,080 ha), green grams (1,300 ha).
Which livestock is common in Tana River County?
Tana River ranks 3rd for turkeys, 7th for geese, 7th for pigeons. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Tana River County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Tana River above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Tana River County in?
The national strategy places Tana River 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 Tana River 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 Tana River
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Tana River
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 Tana River: 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 Tana River 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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