Why Kenyan Farmers Should Embrace Palm Oil Tree Farming – A New Goldmine in Agriculture
Kenya is at a pivotal moment in its agricultural journey. As we confront rising food import bills, rural unemployment, and underutilized land resources, one high-potential crop stands out—palm oil. Not only does it offer immense economic returns, but it also holds the potential to transform our country into a net exporter of edible oil, just like global leaders Malaysia and Indonesia.
But to unlock this potential, we must think beyond small-scale farming. Kenya needs a bold shift to large-scale commercial palm oil plantations—starting with our Coast region.
Kenya’s Oil Dilemma – And the Untapped Opportunity
Kenya currently spends billions of shillings annually importing palm oil to meet domestic demand. Nearly all of it comes from Malaysia and Indonesia, countries that have built massive economies around palm oil exports.
Yet, Kenya has thousands of acres of idle or underutilized land, especially along the Coastline—from Lamu to Tana River, Kilifi, Kwale, and parts of Taita Taveta—where the climate and soils are ideal for palm oil cultivation.
This is a call to action: We must start treating palm oil as a national strategic crop and pursue large-scale plantations that can serve both domestic markets and create a path to export.
Why the Coast Region is Perfect for Large-Scale Palm Oil
The Coast region of Kenya mirrors the climate conditions of successful palm oil zones in Southeast Asia:
- Rainfall: 1,800–2,500 mm/year – check
- Temperature: 25–32°C – check
- Altitude: Low-lying tropical coast – check
- Soils: Sandy-loam and clay-loam soils – suitable for oil palms
- Land: Thousands of hectares of idle land under ranches, trust land, or government reserves
We believe that turning hectares of idle Coast land into palm oil plantations could:
- Create thousands of jobs
- Reduce palm oil imports
- Generate billions in export revenue
- Catalyze agro-industrial development in rural counties
At Lesama Limited we are championing the cause of large-scale, climate-smart palm oil farming in Kenya by identifying and profiling large tracts of land in Kilifi, Tana River, and Kwale and engaging with investors interested in commercial palm oil ventures
Let’s Make Kenya Africa’s Next Palm Oil Powerhouse. Kenya doesn’t need to keep importing what it can grow as we have the land, suitable climate, entrepreneurial spirit and we now have the opportunity. It’s time to scale up, benchmark globally and act locally.
It’s time to turn our Coast into Kenya’s palm oil capital. Are you an investor, landowner, agricultural policymaker interested in this opportunity?
Get in touch with us let’s shape the future of palm oil in Kenya—together.
LESAMA LIMITED
+254700215848
