The Kenyan Government has unveiled plans to develop a large-scale date palm industry in arid and semi-arid regions, aiming to reduce imports and tap into a high-value global market dominated by Middle Eastern and North African producers.

The push was highlighted during a visit by senior national and county officials to Kutch Farm in Kibwezi, Makueni County, where commercially grown Indian and Israeli date varieties are already producing yields of up to 200 kilograms per tree.

The delegation included Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director-General Bruno Linyiru, Council of Governors chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, and technical teams from KEPHIS and KALRO. Officials reviewed the full production cycle, including pollination, irrigation, harvesting and value addition.

Kenya currently produces minimal volumes of dates, recording about 1,100 kilograms in 2023, while spending more than Sh359 million on imports in 2024, despite having climatic conditions similar to leading producers such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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Officials said the gap presents a significant opportunity for ASAL counties as climate change disrupts traditional farming systems.

At the farm, the team also assessed intercropping models where date palms are grown alongside mangoes, citrus and vegetables, a system officials say improves land productivity and diversifies farmer income.

Experts noted that date palms can tolerate extreme heat, saline soils and low rainfall, and can remain productive for decades once established.

Counties targeted under the plan include Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana, Garissa, Kitui, Tana River and Makueni, where officials believe commercial date farming could stabilise incomes and reduce drought vulnerability.

Linyiru said scaling date palm production is now a national priority as Kenya seeks climate-resilient, high-value crops for dryland regions.

Under current market prices, premium export varieties such as Medjool can fetch up to KSh 1,200 per kilogram, with estimates showing that a mature hectare can generate several million shillings annually.

The government plans to support the initiative through certified nurseries, expanded irrigation, farmer training, and processing and packaging infrastructure. Officials say the goal is to position Kenya as a competitive regional producer while unlocking new income streams for ASAL communities.