The ministry of agriculture says that the new programme aims to reduce heavy expenditure on edible oil imports with a market value of Sh130 billion, of which 95 percent are sourced from outside the country.

“To achieve this, 6000 metric tons of sunflower seeds will be distributed to farmers before the upcoming short rains,” read a post by Agriculture Principal Secretary Kello Harsama.

“During a bilateral review with the Swedish government, I stressed the need to expand the value chains to be supported by the successor of ASDSP II, the Kenya Agricultural Business Development Project by incorporating Pyrethrum and Sunflower,” he added.

The country sources most of its edible oils from external markets, which primarily comprise palm oil sourced from Malaysia.

In 2021, Kenya imported $1.26 billion worth of palm oil, becoming the 9th largest importer of palm oil in the world.

Subsequently, palm oil was the second-most imported product in Kenya from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.