KBL is targeting to recruit more youth and farmer groups in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Busia and Migori counties to take up sorghum farming as it rolls out plans to open the newly built Sh15 billion plant later in the month.
The brewer hopes to increase sorghum production in the regions, with more than 15,000 new farmers set to benefit from supplying the brewery.
Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) will distribute 20 threshers (machines for separating grains from chaff) and 400 grain drying sheets to first-time sorghum farmers in Western and Nyanza regions in latest efforts to ramp up production volumes.
The brewer is targeting to recruit more youth and farmer groups in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Busia and Migori counties to take up sorghum farming as it rolls out plans to open the newly built Sh15 billion plant later in the month.
Supply Chain Director Peter Kamugi said the machines will ease harvesting, reduce post-harvest losses and create employment to the Kisumu brewery suppliers.
“We have had success in the one year that the farmers have been growing the crop used as raw material for the brewing of Senator Keg,” he said.
He said the ‘West for West’ strategy being implemented by EABL in their local sourcing of sorghum is meant to have majority of raw materials for Kisumu Brewery sourced from the western part of the country.
“Despite the challenges posed by the weather in the past few months, we are pleased with the progress so far. We look forward to recruiting more farmers in the coming months,” he said as he expressed optimism the farmers will harvest up to 15,000 tonnes of sorghum this season.
KBL hopes to increase sorghum production in the regions, with more than 15,000 new farmers set to benefit from supplying the brewery.
Mr Kamugi said the Western and Nyanza raw sourcing plan was part of EABL’s strategy to acquire 100 per cent of raw materials from locals by 2020.
“To meet the high demand for Senator Keg, KBL aims at doubling the market for sorghum as a cash crop, from 20,000 metric tonnes to around 40,000 tonnes in the next five years,” he said.
KBL managing director Jane Karuku announced in March that the first barrel of Senator Keg will be released from the multibillion-shilling facility on July 17.
The Kisumu brewery is expected to boost the local economy through the creation of over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs – from the farmers and their employees to the businesses that provide inputs right up to the workers in the factories, retailers and the transport business.
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