The Government has commissioned a common user facility for edible oil processing in Lamu County, in a move aimed at boosting local agro-processing and reducing Kenya’s reliance on imported cooking oils.
The facility, established by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) under the Edible Oil Promotion Project, is equipped with a processing unit capable of crushing up to five metric tonnes of oilseeds per day and refining about 500 litres of edible oil daily.
Officials say the plant will support local value addition, improve farmer incomes and strengthen food security in the coastal region.
Speaking during the commissioning, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Agriculture Paul Ronoh said the project forms part of a broader government strategy to expand domestic production of edible oils by promoting high-value oil crops and investing in processing infrastructure closer to farmers.
Kenya currently imports a significant share of its edible oil requirements, exposing consumers to price volatility and foreign exchange pressures. The government hopes that facilities such as the Lamu plant will help narrow the supply gap by encouraging farmers to increase production of oil crops while ensuring ready markets through local processing.
Under the programme, farmers in Lamu County are already receiving support through the supply of sunflower seeds, cotton inputs and extension services. The initiative has also been expanded to include coconut, cashew nuts, groundnuts, sisal and bixa, crops that are well suited to the coastal climate and have growing commercial demand.
The Lamu facility is designed as a shared processing hub, allowing smallholder farmers and cooperatives to access modern equipment without bearing the full cost of ownership. Officials said similar common user facilities will be rolled out in at least 14 other counties as the government scales up the edible oil promotion programme nationwide.
Also present at the event were Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, Lamu County Woman Representative Marubu Muthoni Monicah and AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru, alongside senior national and county government officials.
The commissioning comes amid renewed policy focus on agro-processing as a driver of rural incomes and industrial growth, with the government positioning value addition as a key pillar of its agricultural transformation agenda.
