The Sisal, Pyrethrum, and Cashew Nut Industries: Kenya's Forgotten Cash Crops and Their Revival

Kenya's agricultural history includes several remarkable cash crops that once generated substantial foreign exchange, employed hundreds of thousands of people, and positioned the country as a global market leader. Sisal, pyrethrum, and cashew nuts each played transformative roles in Kenya's economic development during the twentieth century before succumbing to a combination of mismanagement, global market shifts, policy failures, and neglect. Today, all three crops are experiencing varying degrees of revival as the government, private sector, and international partners recognise their untapped potential. With pyrethrum production having collapsed from 18,000 tonnes annually in 1992 to fewer than 500 tonnes, cashew output declining to just 7,803 tonnes in 2024, and sisal production reduced to a fraction of its historical peak, the stories of these crops offer profound lessons about the fragility of agricultural success and the possibilities of renewal.

Sisal: From Colonial Powerhouse to Decline

Sisal (Agave sisalana) was introduced to Kenya in the early 1900s during the colonial period and quickly became one of the country's most important export crops. Kenya's semi-arid lowlands, particularly in the Coast, Eastern, and Rift Valley regions, provided ideal growing conditions for the drought-resistant agave plant. By the 1960s and 1970s, Kenya was among the world's largest sisal producers, with extensive plantations in Kilifi, Kwale, Taita-Taveta, Makueni, and parts of the Rift Valley. Sisal fibre was in high demand globally for manufacturing rope, twine, sacking, carpet backing, and industrial materials. The crop supported large estate farming operations that employed tens of thousands of workers and generated significant export revenue. However, the introduction of synthetic fibres, particularly polypropylene, in the 1970s devastated global demand for natural sisal fibre. Kenyan production plummeted as estates became uneconomical, with many converted to other uses or abandoned entirely. By 2017, Kenya's sisal production had declined to approximately 22,500 tonnes, a shadow of its former output. Today, renewed interest in sisal stems from growing global demand for natural and biodegradable fibres as alternatives to plastics, as well as emerging applications in biocomposites, geotextiles, paper pulp, and bioenergy production.

Pyrethrum: Kenya's White Gold

Pyrethrum holds a special place in Kenya's agricultural heritage as the crop that once earned the country over 90 percent of the global market share. The chrysanthemum-like flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium, grown primarily in the cool highlands of Nakuru, Nyandarua, Kiambu, Nyeri, Meru, and Trans-Nzoia counties, produce pyrethrins, a naturally occurring insecticide that is remarkably effective against a broad range of pests while being biodegradable and leaving no harmful residues. This combination of effectiveness and environmental safety made pyrethrum the world's most sought-after natural pesticide. At its peak in the early 1990s, Kenya produced approximately 18,000 tonnes of pyrethrum annually and dominated the global market. The Agriculture and Food Authority notes that the industry employed hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers and was a major source of rural income in highland communities. The decline was catastrophic and multi-causal: the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya, which held a monopoly on purchasing and processing, became mired in corruption and inefficiency, paying farmers late or not at all. Disillusioned farmers abandoned the crop in droves, switching to dairy, horticulture, or other cash crops. Kenya's global market share collapsed from over 90 percent to approximately 2 percent, and production fell below 500 tonnes annually.

Pyrethrum Revival Efforts

The revival of Kenya's pyrethrum sector has gained significant momentum in recent years, driven by growing global demand for natural pesticides in organic farming, public health applications, and household insect control. The government has committed resources to rebuilding the industry, including delivering 14 pyrethrum dryers to farming cooperatives to improve post-harvest processing quality, distributing improved planting materials, and restructuring the institutional framework. The Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya has rolled out programmes to raise farmer awareness, engage youth groups, and expand planted acreage from the current 10,000 acres to an ambitious 70,000 acres in the coming years. DanChurchAid has partnered with Kenyan organisations through the DAISY Project (Sustainable Pyrethrum Market System Development), supporting farmers with training, market linkages, and quality improvement. The industry has potential to employ up to 500,000 people across the value chain from farmers and processors to transporters and exporters. Global demand continues to rise as consumers and regulators increasingly favour natural pest control solutions over synthetic chemical alternatives, creating a favourable market environment for Kenya's pyrethrum comeback.

Cashew Nuts: The Coast's Forgotten Treasure

Cashew nut farming has deep roots in Kenya's coastal region, where the crop was a major economic driver for communities in Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, and Mombasa counties throughout the twentieth century. At its peak, Kenya produced over 22,000 tonnes of cashew nuts annually and was a significant player in the global market. The decline of the cashew industry was driven by several factors including the spread of powdery mildew disease that devastated orchards, aging tree stocks that were never replaced, poor pricing for farmers, and competition from more aggressively developing producers in Vietnam, India, and Tanzania. By 2024, production had declined to just 7,803 tonnes, a 13 percent drop from the previous year and roughly three times lower than the 22,140 tonnes recorded in 2014. Farmers cited rising pest and disease pressure, deforestation practices, and waning interest among younger generations as contributing factors. The coastal economy suffered significantly from the loss of cashew income, which had been a cornerstone of rural livelihoods.

Cashew Nut Revival Strategy

In January 2026, Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Mutahi Kagwe unveiled an ambitious cashew sector recovery plan that targets the creation of 350,000 jobs and a KES 30 billion contribution to GDP. The strategy centres on the multiplication and distribution of improved cashew seedlings, with researchers developing new high-yield varieties that show tolerance to diseases. Authorities planned to distribute 20,000 improved seedlings during the upcoming long rains season as a first phase of restocking coastal orchards. The ban on raw nut exports has been a key policy lever, forcing the development of domestic processing capacity. Kenya currently has approximately 30 cashew processing facilities, though many operate below capacity due to insufficient raw nut supply. The Agriculture and Food Authority estimates that a fully revived cashew industry could produce up to 45,000 tonnes annually, sufficient to utilise existing processing capacity and generate significant value-added exports of roasted cashews, cashew butter, cashew shell liquid for industrial applications, and cashew apple products.

Common Themes Across the Three Industries

The decline of sisal, pyrethrum, and cashew nuts shares several common threads that offer important lessons for Kenya's agricultural policy. Institutional failures, particularly corruption and inefficiency in parastatal marketing boards, undermined farmer confidence and drove producers away from all three crops. Inadequate investment in research and development left farmers with aging varieties, outdated agronomic practices, and limited capacity to respond to emerging pests and diseases. Over-reliance on single marketing channels and failure to diversify export markets left the industries vulnerable to external shocks. The absence of value addition meant that Kenya exported raw or minimally processed commodities, capturing only a fraction of the potential value chain returns. Policy inconsistency, with frequent changes in regulatory frameworks, export controls, and institutional mandates, created uncertainty that discouraged long-term investment by both farmers and the private sector.

Future Prospects and Opportunities

The revival prospects for all three crops are enhanced by favourable global trends. The worldwide movement toward natural, biodegradable materials benefits both sisal and pyrethrum. Sisal's applications in biocomposites for the automotive industry, geotextiles for erosion control, and as a raw material for paper and bioenergy position it well in the growing green economy. Pyrethrum's role as the premier natural insecticide aligns with the expansion of organic agriculture and stricter regulations on synthetic pesticides in major markets. Cashew nuts benefit from surging global demand for healthy snacks, plant-based proteins, and speciality nut products, with the global cashew market projected to grow significantly in the coming decade. For Kenya to capitalise on these opportunities, sustained investment in improved varieties, farmer support services, processing infrastructure, and market development will be essential. The stories of sisal, pyrethrum, and cashew nuts demonstrate that agricultural industries can be rebuilt, but only with the combination of sound policy, institutional integrity, farmer-centred approaches, and long-term commitment that was absent during the decades of decline.