Horticulture In Laikipia

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Horticultural production is a major economic activity in Laikipia county.

  • Horticulture is one of the four County's economic pillars .The others being Tourism, Cereals production and Livestock production

  • About 30% of the small scale farmers are engaged in the horticultural farming.

  • Major horticultural crops include tomatoes, Potatoes, cabbages, watermelons, kales, spinach, courgettes, butter nuts, capsicum, onions, carrots, chilies, French beans and snow peas among others

  • There is emerging trend of increased floriculture and horticulture production both at large scale and small scale levels.

  • This involves the production of cut flowers , tomatoes French beans, snow peas chillies and water melons.

  • There are also pockets of pineapple , avocados, oranges and macadamia nuts farms in the County.

  • The annual income from the Horticulture/Floriculture farming in the County is estimated to be in excess of Kshs. 1.3billons .

  • Perennial crops include fruits like mangoes, oranges, pineapples, lemon and avocadoes among others.

  • Most of the horticultural crops are grown under irrigation using the few rivers in the county and water harvested through water pans and dams whereas perennial crops are normally rain fed.

Horticultural produce is marketed locally and also exported outside the country through exporting companies like AAA growers, Frigoken, Home grown among others

Investment Opportunities in Horticulture Sub sector in Laikipia

  • Value addition; This will involve setting up small to medium scale industries for value addition in several agricultural commodities including potatoes and fruits .There is huge potential in vegetable oil production as well as fruits concentrates.

  • To ensure the County has high farm yield, investing in production of high quality seeds production and on new varieties that commercially has high potential for private sector investment.

  • Creation of new markets; There is need for proactive efforts to maintain existing markets while creating new ones and increasing the bargaining power in the global markets.

  • Development of large scale commercial irrigation projects.

  • Expansion of water harvesting, storage and supply for horticultural crops irrigation.

  • Horticulture farming has a huge unexploited potential in Laikipia County

  • There is enormous business opportunities in whole value chains for both floriculture and horticulture farming in the County which needs to be taken up and invested in them.

  • There is need to have marketing organizations/processing of horticultural produce as these will open up the horticulture farming due to ready markets /processing activities.

  • There is need to strengthen more on the Public Private Partnerships in order to realize and achieve the full potential of horticulture farming in the County.

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