By Abdulrahman Otenyo
While agricultural growth depends on various factors ranging from rainfall, investments in irrigation, research and development, and market prices, agricultural extension cannot be overlooked because it ensures that innovations developed in laboratories are translated and implemented on farms. The transfer of knowledge, innovations, and technology to the bottom of the pyramid is essential for bridging the gap between research and practice, ensuring farmers have access to the latest agricultural advancements.
Kenya’s sugar industry is not performing well not because farmers do not know how to grow sugarcane. It is struggling because, over time, farmers have been left to cultivate sugarcane on their own.
There was a time when sugarcane farming in Kenya was organised, supported, and reliable. Farmers knew they would receive guidance. Growing up in the rural areas of Nambale, we would see officers on Yamaha motorbikes from Mumias Sugar. They would walk through the fields, advise our parents on planting practices, check crop progress, and ensure that the right seed cane was used. They commanded so much respect that no one would dare chew cane in their presence. Back then, mills received enough cane. Rural communities and economies thrived because the system worked for everyone.
Today, most of that support has faded away. Yields are declining, farmers have lost confidence, and factories often sit idle due to insufficient cane supply, sometimes even shutting down altogether. This decline was not inevitable; it is the result of weakening extension services—one of the most important but least discussed pillars of the sugar industry.
If we are serious about rebuilding our sugar sector, extension services must return to the centre of the conversation.
When Extension Worked, the Industry Worked
Older farmers still remember when working with Mumias Sugar Company was something to be proud of.
Extension officers were a constant presence in farming communities. They helped farmers prepare their land properly, supplied quality seed cane, and provided guidance throughout the growing period. Farmers did not have to guess—they had support.
This support translated into results. Yields were higher than they are today. Farmers earned steady incomes. Factories operated efficiently because they had a reliable supply of mature cane.
The same was true for farmers supplying Sony Sugar Company and Chemelil Sugar Company. Extension services created structure and confidence.
Sugarcane farming felt like a stable business, not a gamble.
When Extension Disappeared, Problems Began
As many sugar companies ran into financial trouble in the 1990s and 2000s, extension services were among the first casualties.
Extension officers disappeared from the fields. Farmers stopped receiving guidance. The system slowly broke down.
Farmers started planting whatever seed cane they could find, often from neighbouring farms or ratoon crops. Over time, this led to the spread of diseases and a decline in yields.
Without proper advice, many farmers harvested too early out of financial desperation, reducing the amount of recoverable sugar. Due to lack of supervision, fertilisers supplied by mills were diverted to other crops, top dressing practices declined, and sugarcane fields were left unweeded. Many farmers simply planted sugarcane and waited for harvest with minimal management during the growth cycle. Others began to question whether sugarcane farming was worth the effort, while some abandoned the crop altogether.
This trend was especially visible in areas such as Mumias and Busia, where farmers uprooted ratoon crops and shifted to more lucrative alternatives like cassava and sweet potatoes.
Factories, in turn, struggled to secure enough cane to operate efficiently.
What had once been a strong, coordinated system became fragmented and uncertain.
Signs of Hope: Where Extension Is Still Taken Seriously
Not all is lost. Some sugar companies have recognised that without supporting farmers, their own survival is at risk. While their approaches may not be as structured or effective as in the past, they still represent hope.
West Kenya, Kibos, Butali, Transmara, and Naitiri Sugar Companies are examples of mills that continue to work closely with farmers—offering technical advice, supporting production, and investing in improved farming practices and modern approaches.
These companies understand a simple truth: a sugar factory is only as strong as the farmers who supply it.
Supporting farmers is not charity—it is good business.
The World Shows Us What Is Possible
Kenya’s challenges are not unique. Other countries have faced similar issues and addressed them by strengthening extension services.
In Brazil, extension is treated as a critical component of the sugar industry and agriculture as a whole. Farmers receive continuous guidance, helping them achieve some of the highest yields in the world. Services such as Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) play a vital role in disseminating information on efficient agricultural practices and technologies, supporting productivity and value addition.
In India, extension officers—through organisations such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agriculture Departments—work directly with millions of smallholder farmers, contributing to improved agricultural productivity, food security, and technology adoption.
Closer to home, South Africa has built a professional extension system that keeps its sugar industry competitive both regionally and globally.
These countries have understood something Kenya must rediscover: farmers cannot be expected to succeed without support.
Where Kenya Must Do Better
If Kenya is serious about reviving its sugar industry, extension services must be rebuilt deliberately and sustainably. The system must adopt a more decentralised, participatory, and demand-driven approach.
Sugar companies must reinvest in farmer support systems. This includes employing extension officers, supplying clean planting material, and maintaining consistent engagement with farmers.
Farmers should be sensitised and given access to disease-free seed cane to restore quality production.
Extension officers must be properly trained and equipped to perform their roles effectively.
Technology can also play a role. Mobile phone applications such as Miwa Bora, as well as SMS-based systems, can provide farmers with timely advice on good agricultural practices, weather updates, and early warnings of disease outbreaks.
Above all, extension must be treated as essential—not optional.
This Is Bigger Than Sugar
This is not just about sugarcane.
It is about livelihoods.
It is about rural economies.
It is about restoring confidence among farmers who have felt neglected for far too long.
When farmers are supported and empowered, they produce more. When production increases, factories operate efficiently. Efficient factories create jobs, improve infrastructure, and support community development.
Extension services make this possible.
Kenya Has Done It Before. It Can Do It Again
Kenya does not lack experienced farmers. It does not lack land. It does not lack factories.
What it has lacked is consistent support for the people at the heart of the industry.
There was a time when extension services helped make Kenya’s sugar industry one of the strongest in the region—and there is no reason it cannot happen again.
The lesson is simple:
When farmers are supported, the industry succeeds.
When they are left alone, the industry struggles.
Kenya’s sugar revival will not begin in the factory—it will begin on the farm.