Kenya could be sitting on a major agricultural opportunity as Parliament weighs a proposal to give nuts and oil crops their own development agency, with lawmakers warning that years of limited support have left farmers struggling while the country spends billions of shillings importing edible oils.
The National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock is examining the Nuts and Oil Crops (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which is sponsored by Kilifi South MP Owen Baya. The proposed law seeks to establish a Nuts and Oil Crops Development Board with responsibility for guiding the growth of the industry.
Baya told the committee that Kenya spends around Sh145 billion each year bringing edible oils into the country. At the same time, the Government collects about Sh13 billion in import levies from the sector.
He questioned why a larger share of the money generated from the industry could not be channelled into increasing local production and supporting farmers.
Baya said Kenya had made several attempts to address problems affecting the nuts and oil crops industry. He noted that proposals had been pursued in the 11th and 12th Parliaments and in the Senate, but these efforts had not led to the establishment of an institution solely responsible for the sector.
He blamed part of the problem on the consolidation of agricultural agencies under the Agricultural and Food Authority (AFA), saying the arrangement had left some crops without the focused research, funding and attention they require.
“we need to make a deliberate effort as Members of Parliament for the good of the country by reviving the growth of these edible oil crops,” Baya said.
The MP said farmers had previously benefited from specialised institutions, citing the Coconut Development Authority and the Cashew Nut Board as examples of bodies that had specific mandates to develop individual crops and support growers.
He said the removal of that focused approach had affected nut production, especially in the Coast region. Some farmers, he added, had resorted to cutting down nut trees and turning them into charcoal, further reducing production.
Baya is therefore calling for nuts and oil crops to be taken out of AFA and placed under a separate body that can concentrate on the industry, including research, investment and farmer support.
The proposal received backing from a number of committee members, but lawmakers also raised concerns over the cost of creating and maintaining another government institution.
Patrick Osero said nuts and oil crops had not received the research attention enjoyed by better-established agricultural sectors such as tea.
“There is something to ponder on,” he said, urging greater research into the crops to establish how their potential can be fully developed.
John Makali said the description of some crops as minor should not be allowed to limit their economic potential.
“We need to do serious research because neighbouring countries such as Uganda are doing very well in terms of nut oil production. It is important to shift the focus on this matter,” Makali said.
Makali, however, questioned whether the revenue collected through sector levies would be sufficient to keep a new Nuts and Oil Crops Development Board running. He also noted that the Government had been pursuing consolidation of state agencies, raising questions about the need for another standalone body.
Yusuf Farah supported the Bill but warned that previous attempts by agencies to take over responsibilities from AFA had sometimes been affected by private interests. He nevertheless described the proposed legislation as timely and significant.
Geoffrey Odanga also threw his weight behind the proposal, saying nuts have the potential to become a major agricultural enterprise if farmers receive the necessary investment and policy support.
The committee is expected to continue reviewing the Bill, with attention now turning to the proposed board’s responsibilities, financing and place within the existing government structure.
The lawmakers are ultimately weighing whether a dedicated institution can give nuts and oil crops the sustained attention needed to restore production, strengthen farmers’ earnings and help Kenya reduce the large amounts of money spent on imported edible oils.