Coast sugarcane farmers oppose exclusion from bonus

Sugarcane farmers in the coastal region have accused the government of giving them a raw deal and being excluded in President William Ruto’s recently announced sugarcane bonus payout.

The initiative, designed to support farmers and revitalise the sugar sector, is limited to publicly-owned sugar companies, leaving private millers out of the scheme.

The farmers, through their representatives, have called on Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to ensure inclusivity by extending the bonus to private millers like the Kwale International Sugar Company Limited (KISCOL).

“In Kwale, we don’t have access to state-owned sugar mills like those in western Kenya. Our livelihoods depend entirely on KISCOL, yet we’ve been left out of the programme,” said a farmer from Kinondo, Kwale County.

President Ruto launched the bonus scheme last week at Mumias Sugar Company, describing it as a transformative initiative to promote fairness and transparency while encouraging sugarcane production.

The Head of State pointed out that the move not only validates the success of the reforms in the sub-sector, but also amplifies the potential to uplift farmers and support thousands of livelihoods in the country.

But Chai Mwachiro, a farmer from Lunga Lunga appealed to the government to consider reviewing the criteria to benefit all stakeholders in the sugar industry.

According to President Ruto, the bonus will be tied to the performance of public millers, and distributed based on the quantity of sugarcane supplied by farmers.

“Last year, Kenya achieved a record sugar output of 832,000 tonnes. The bonus programme will incentivise farmers to expand production, advancing the sector towards self-sufficiency and regional exports by 2026,” he said.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has also questioned the criteria and the source of funds used to allocate bonuses to Mumias Sugar Company.

Mr Mwachiro argued that the exclusion of private millers like KISCOL is inequitable, considering the contributions the company and its outgrowers make to the sector.

“KISCOL has extended its crushing operations to 11 months this year, supporting its 1,500 contracted outgrowers. It’s only fair that we are included in the bonus programme.

"The government must clarify how this framework is meant to uplift all farmers if some regions are excluded,” Mr Mwachiro stated.

David Ndirangu, Chairman of the Kwale Sugarcane Outgrowers Association, highlighted the significant growth in sugarcane cultivation in the coastal region, with the area under cultivation rising from 2,682 hectares three years ago to 4,686 hectares last year.

Farmers have also expressed doubts about the fairness of distributing 50 per cent of annual miller rent to farmers, as stipulated in the framework, given that it currently applies only to public mills.

The coastal farmers are urging the government to review and revise the framework to ensure it accommodates private millers.

They argue that inclusivity is critical to achieving equitable growth in Kenya’s sugar industry.

vraballa@ke.nationmedia.com