Counties, Homa Bay, Tharaka Nithi, and Lamu in Kenya have been identified as ideal for palm tree farming in a new plan by the government to manage the rising cost of imported cooking oil. 

Speaking to the Standard, Moses Kuria Trade Cabinet Secretary said the plan set for next year is expected to move the country away from reliance on imports from Indonesia.

Now we have Sh20 cooking oil. Next year, we want to start growing some palm oil trees here in Kenya. We are working with counties like Homa Bay, Lamu, and Tharaka Nithi,” the CS said, adding “We do not want to continue importing edible oil. We spend Sh 150 billion importing, we want to be self-sufficient.”

Speaking at the Mama Pima launch in Kawangware, Nairobi, CS Kuria said the nation will take advice from Indonesia on how to become self-sufficient in palm oil production. Mama Pima is an oil distribution machine for low-income earners.

Cooking oil dispensers are an Indonesian invention, according to the CS, whose docket also deals with Industry and Investments.

The Cabinet Secretary said “Indonesia is the leading producer of cooking oil globally. It is economy is 18 times that of Kenya, and they have this machine that caters to the low-income person.”

The machines, which will be strategically placed in residential areas, will supply cooking oil for as little as Sh10. The ministry views this as a novel approach to the nation’s high cost of cooking oil, which averages Sh360 a liter. However, a lot of vendors have opened up businesses in residential neighborhoods, although they only offer purchases of one liter or more. 

Kuria stated that the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) will lead the effort to install additional locally-made palm oil dispensing equipment all around the nation. The CS stated, “We do not wish to import the machines.”

According to the CS, the government will use the Hustler Fund to enable people to sell cooking oil using vending machines through the use of authorized entities. The Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will work with you on this.

The event occurred concurrently with Kenyan President Joko Widodo’s visit to Indonesia.