Ruto promises better pay as government sets aside Sh1.2 billion for cane farmers

The Government has set aside Sh1.2 billion to pay sugarcane farmers bonuses, President William Ruto has announced, promising reforms aimed at improving farmers’ earnings and ensuring timely payments.

Ruto said the money would be used to pay bonuses to sugarcane farmers, adding that he would visit several sugar-producing areas in November as the government moves to address concerns over payments in the sector.

Speaking in Nandi County on Sunday, the President named Chemelil, Muhoroni, Sony, Nzoia and Mumias as areas he plans to visit during the month to engage with farmers and advance the payments.

“We have Sh1.2 billion to pay bonuses to sugarcane farmers,” Ruto said, announcing the allocation as part of wider government efforts to improve agricultural earnings and reduce the cost of living.

The announcement comes as the government seeks to address longstanding concerns in the sugar industry, where farmers have faced challenges over the prices they receive for their cane and delays in payments.

Ruto said the government had intervened to streamline the sector and ensure farmers receive better prices and are paid on time.

“The sugarcane sector had many problems, including government issues, to the extent that even our children were affected. But now we have put things in order. We are saying that farmers should be paid a good price and paid on time,” he explained.

The President added that farmers should have greater certainty about when they would receive their money, describing regular payments as essential to improving agricultural production and household incomes.

“Every week, a farmer should know about their money, so that we can move these matters forward together.”

He linked the planned sugarcane bonus payments to the government's broader agricultural reform agenda, arguing that increasing farmers' earnings was necessary to ease the cost of living.

Ruto said agriculture remained central to Kenya's economy and that improving returns for farmers would help put more money into households.

He also cited government support for agricultural production, saying about Sh11 billion had been provided to farmers over the past year to help reduce the cost of fertiliser.

According to the President, the support had reached more than three million farmers across the country.

“We have given farmers about Sh11 billion in the last one year, reaching more than three million farmers in Kenya. We have reduced the cost of fertiliser so that farmers can retain some money in their pockets and increase production,” he said.

The Head of State also outlined measures targeting other agricultural sectors, including coffee and dairy farming, saying reforms were intended to improve payments and increase farmers' incomes.

He said the government wanted to ensure that farmers across different value chains received fair prices and were paid without unnecessary delays.

The President's remarks come amid wider efforts to position agriculture as a key driver of economic growth and household income, particularly in rural areas where many families depend on farming.

His planned visits to the named sugar-producing areas in November are expected to provide an opportunity to engage with farmers on the proposed payments and the reforms in the sector.

The government says improving farm earnings and reducing production costs are important measures in addressing the cost of living, while ensuring that agricultural activity generates more reliable incomes for farmers.

The Sh1.2 billion allocation now places sugarcane farmers' bonuses at the centre of the government's latest agricultural commitments, with farmers awaiting further details on the payment process.