Kenya has revealed a plan to build a billion-shilling date palm industry across its arid and semi-arid lands as top national and county officials join forces to commercialize one of the world’s most profitable dryland crops.

Makueni County, Agricultural and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Dr. Bruno Linyiru, COG Chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, and technical teams from KEPHIS and KALRO, during their visit to Kutch Farm in Kibwezi, said that Kenya is in a position to be a competitive player in the international dates market.

During the tour, the delegation witnessed trees producing up to 200 kilograms each and reviewed the full production cycle by identifying male and female palms to pollination irrigation, harvesting, and value addition, highlighting the trees’ potential to enhance food security across semi-arid and arid areas in Kenya.

Counties like Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Garissa, Kitui, Tana River, and Makueni, officials say, commercial date farming could stabilize household incomes, reduce vulnerability to drought, and open new export opportunities.

What Was the Main Aim Behind the Tour

In 2023, Kenya delivered 1,100 kilograms of dates and spent over Ksh 359 million importing the fruit in 2024 despite using natural conditions for production.

This tour comes at a moment when climate change reshapes traditional production systems and communities in ASAL regions seek more resilient, income-generating alternatives.

Worldwide, dates are a multi-billion-dollar commodity dominated by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, and the UAE have heat and low-humidity conditions similar to northern Kenya.

The officials also noted that this gap is one of the biggest countries’ untouched agricultural opportunities.

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What the Team Discovered at Kutch Farm

At Kutch Farm, the delegation also assessed an innovative intercropping model where date palms grow alongside mangoes, pixies, oranges, okra, and other horticultural crops, boosting land productivity while providing farmers with diversified income streams.

However, the team said that once the plant is properly planted and well-managed, date palms can withstand high temperatures, adapt to salty soils, and remain productive for many years, positioning them as a dependable long-term economic asset for families living in dryland areas.

According to Dr. Linyiru, boosting date palm production is a national duty.

“As climate patterns shift, Kenya must diversify. Date palms are a high-value, drought-tolerant crop perfectly suited for ASAL regions. Our focus is to unlock quality planting material, strengthen value chains, and support counties ready to scale,” said Dr. Linyuru.

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How The Plan is Effective for the Government Initiative

As the government plans to promote high-value crops through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), this initiative fits the plan.

This initiative will be built around developing certified nurseries, expanding irrigation infrastructure, training farmers, and establishing processing and packaging hubs to position Kenya as a competitive regional producer.

AFA DG Dr.Bruno Linyiru at the palm industry. PHOTO/FILE.