What to Farm in Homa Bay County: Crops, Livestock and Profit
Homa Bay ranks 1st for sweet potatoes and 2nd for indigenous chicken among Kenya's counties. Below is everything the latest national figures record there.
Where Homa Bay Leads Kenya
Rank 1 means the biggest producer or herd among counties that report the product.
Sweet potatoes
164,545 tonnes
1st of 42 counties
13,483 ha · 12.2 t per ha · 24.7% of Kenya
Indigenous chicken
4.6 million birds
2nd of 47 counties
8.5% of Kenya
Sorghum
28,042 tonnes
3rd of 41 counties
24,740 ha · 1.1 t per ha · 14.2% of Kenya
Cowpeas
1,378 tonnes
10th of 37 counties
1,438 ha · 1.0 t per ha · 0.9% of Kenya
Maize
115,635 tonnes
11th of 47 counties
78,795 ha · 1.5 t per ha · 3.0% of Kenya
Dry beans
20,308 tonnes
18th of 39 counties
28,052 ha · 0.7 t per ha · 2.5% of Kenya
Source: KNBS National Agriculture Production Report 2023 to 2024. Shares compare Homa Bay with all of Kenya. Counties report figures to the national team and some years swing sharply.
Crops Grown in Homa Bay: 2023 Figures
Area, output and yield for every crop the national report records in Homa Bay.
| Crop | Area (ha) | Output | Yield (t per ha) | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton | Not given | 844 bales of lint | Not given | 2nd of 21 | 12.0% |
| Coffee | Not given | 16 t clean coffee | Not given | 28th of 32 | <0.1% |
| Sweet potatoes | 13,483 | 164,545 t | 12.2 | 1st of 42 | 24.7% |
| Sorghum | 24,740 | 28,042 t | 1.1 | 3rd of 41 | 14.2% |
| Cowpeas | 1,438 | 1,378 t | 1.0 | 10th of 37 | 0.9% |
| Maize | 78,795 | 115,635 t | 1.5 | 11th of 47 | 3.0% |
| Green grams (ndengu) | 936 | 885 t | 0.9 | 13th of 33 | 0.5% |
| Dry beans | 28,052 | 20,308 t | 0.7 | 18th of 39 | 2.5% |
| Finger millet | 4 | 2 t | 0.5 | 27th of 27 | <0.1% |
| Irish potatoes | 13 | 79 t | 6.1 | 28th of 28 | <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 Homa Bay
Numbers kept in Homa Bay in 2023, ranked against other counties.
| Animal or bird | Number kept | National rank | Share of Kenya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef cattle | 385,137 | 11th of 47 | 2.4% |
| Hair sheep | 297,464 | 16th of 47 | 1.4% |
| Meat goats | 552,109 | 20th of 47 | 1.6% |
| Dairy goats | 5,147 | 23rd of 47 | 0.9% |
| Dairy cattle | 12,203 | 36th of 47 | 0.2% |
| Pigs | 15,497 | 16th of 43 | 1.8% |
| Donkeys | 10,354 | 19th of 46 | 0.6% |
| Beehives | 16,534 | 30th of 47 | 1.0% |
| Rabbits | 4,328 | 32nd of 46 | 0.6% |
| Indigenous chicken | 4.6 million | 2nd of 47 | 8.5% |
| Quails | 962 | 7th of 19 | 3.1% |
| Pigeons | 2,283 | 10th of 28 | 1.0% |
| Guinea fowl | 1,765 | 16th of 38 | 2.1% |
| Ducks | 6,138 | 22nd of 45 | 1.2% |
| Turkeys | 933 | 27th of 44 | 0.4% |
| Geese | 1,539 | 30th of 43 | 0.8% |
| Layers | 18,558 | 39th of 47 | 0.3% |
| Broilers | 4,856 | 39th of 47 | <0.1% |
When to Plant in Homa Bay
Homa Bay 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 Homa Bay
Output of the leading products since 2019. Bars compare years, and the dark bar is the latest.
Sweet potatoes
Down 17% since 2019
tonnes
Sorghum
Up 3% since 2019
tonnes
Maize
Up 13% since 2019
tonnes
Dry beans
Down 32% 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 Homa Bay
A short read on each of the five strongest products, with the numbers behind it.
Sweet potatoes
In 2023 Homa Bay produced 164,545 tonnes of sweet potatoes. That ranks 1st of 42 counties and gives 24.7% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 13,483 ha, a yield of 12.2 t per ha. That is close to the national average of 12.3. Output fell 17% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Markets to check include Homa Bay Town, Kendu Bay, Mbita. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Indigenous chicken
Homa Bay recorded about 4.6 million indigenous chicken in 2023. That ranks 2nd of 47 counties and gives 8.5% of Kenya's total. Check farm gate prices on KAMIS and ask your sub-county agricultural office about buyers.
Sorghum
In 2023 Homa Bay produced 28,042 tonnes of sorghum. That ranks 3rd of 41 counties and gives 14.2% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 24,740 ha, a yield of 1.1 t per ha. That is about 19% above the national average of 1.0. Output rose 3% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Markets to check include Homa Bay Town, Kendu Bay, Mbita. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Cowpeas
In 2023 Homa Bay produced 1,378 tonnes of cowpeas. That ranks 10th of 37 counties and gives 0.9% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 1,438 ha, a yield of 1.0 t per ha. That is about 44% above the national average of 0.7. Output rose 71% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Markets to check include Homa Bay Town, Kendu Bay, Mbita. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Maize
In 2023 Homa Bay produced 115,635 tonnes of maize. That ranks 11th of 47 counties and gives 3.0% of Kenya's output. Farmers used 78,795 ha, a yield of 1.5 t per ha. That is about 10% below the national average of 1.6. Output rose 13% between 2019 and 2023. Plant in March to April and September to October. Markets to check include Homa Bay Town, Kendu Bay, Mbita. Compare prices on KAMIS before you sell.
Other leading counties: Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Narok.
Where to Sell in Homa Bay
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 Homa Bay
- 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 8 cooperative societies running 8 factories in Homa Bay.
Access: most cherry moves through a cooperative society. Millers provide milling and are not automatic cherry buyers.
Livestock
Homa Bay 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.
Fish
Landing points: Mbita, Kendu Bay, Sindo and other Lake Victoria landing points.
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 |
|---|---|
| Homa Bay Town | fish, maize, beans, sorghum, groundnuts |
| Kendu Bay | fish, maize, sorghum, beans, cassava |
| Mbita | fish, maize, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes |
| Oyugis | maize, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, groundnuts |
| Rodi Kopany | fish, maize, sorghum, beans, sweet potatoes |
Know a buyer or a market in Homa Bay 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 Homa Bay
The national strategy backs these products in Homa Bay. Open a guide to see how each one is farmed.
Rain and Soil in Homa Bay County
Homa Bay 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 Homa Bay’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 Homa Bay
What crops grow best in Homa Bay County?
Homa Bay ranks 1st for sweet potatoes and 2nd for indigenous chicken. The biggest crop areas are maize (78,795 ha), dry beans (28,052 ha), sorghum (24,740 ha).
Which livestock is common in Homa Bay County?
Homa Bay ranks 2nd for indigenous chicken, 7th for quails, 10th for pigeons. The table above lists every animal and bird recorded.
Which fruits, vegetables and fish suit Homa Bay County?
The national report has no county figures for these. See the strategy list for Homa Bay above, then check local buyers and water.
What agro-ecological zone is Homa Bay County in?
The national strategy places Homa Bay 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 Homa Bay 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 Homa Bay
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Plan, Fund and Scale Your Farm in Homa Bay
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 Homa Bay: 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 Homa Bay 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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