This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
Kenya's sugar industry has been in a state of crisis for years, with factories like Muhoroni, Chemelil, Sony, and Nzioa struggling to make a profit.
According to Robert Shaw, writing in The Nation on January 8, 2020, the situation has been dire, with payment arrears to farmers and employees often going back several years and relief coming only through government bailouts.
Despite the challenges, Shaw argues that it's possible to turn things around and make Kenya self-sufficient in sugar within a couple of years.
He suggests that the key to success lies in increasing cane production and getting the factories back into shape, which would not only benefit the economy but also create jobs and stimulate economic activity in Western and Nyanza regions.
Shaw proposes a three-pronged approach to reviving the industry, including a clear and transparent tendering process for the running of the operations, the introduction of best international sugar production practices, and investment in cane production to encourage farmers to put more acreage under cane.
He also argues that the government needs to get rid of the common myth that growing cane is a fast lane to poverty, as it is actually one of the highest paid cash crops in the world.
