Kenya is advancing strategies to revive pyrethrum, a once-valuable commercial crop known as white gold. Through government efforts, technological innovations, and private sector collaborations, the crop is regaining its place in the nation's agriculture. Yet, it is still cultivated on a small scale across 19 counties.
Decades ago, pyrethrum served as a primary source of foreign exchange, supporting over 100,000 small-scale farmers before its decline in the early 2000s. Today, the government is cutting production costs through subsidized fertilizers, soil testing, and promotion of technological practices. At the National Agribusiness Conference 2025, organized by the Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) and the Ministry of Agriculture on October 22 and 23 in Nairobi, stakeholders discussed digital systems and tech innovations to revive the sector.
The conference theme was “From Promise to Action: Advancing Agribusiness through Dialogue and Innovation.” ASNET CEO Agatha Thuo stated, “Forgotten crops like pyrethrum can be revived through modern methods, and farmers should abandon old techniques to compete regionally and internationally in production.”
The event gathered national leaders, private sector players, researchers, and farmers. Among the exhibitors was the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK). PPCK researcher Collins Omondi explained that the company aims to develop superior seeds, process flowers, and add value via products like Pyagro, an insecticide for vegetables and fruits; Pareto Roach Spray for cockroaches and bedbugs; and Paresol, a mosquito repellent.
Pyrethrum is valued globally for being environmentally safe and non-toxic to humans and livestock. Currently, about 5,000 farmers are involved, compared to over 100,000 in the 1980s. Kenya produces around 300 tons of flowers annually, with half used domestically and the rest exported to Europe, America, and Asia.
The sector's downfall stemmed from poor and delayed payments, cheap synthetic pesticides, and stringent international regulations. Omondi indicated that ongoing reforms will restore hope, with PPCK targeting an expansion from 10,000 to 70,000 acres while encouraging youth participation to address unemployment.
