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Kenya has unveiled a plan to turn its sugar industry into a bio-economy and energy hub, marking a shift from traditional sugar production to a broader agro-industrial model.
Speaking at the Informa Africa Sugar Conference, Kenya Sugar Board CEO and International Sugar Organization Chairman Jude Chesire said the country will move “beyond sugar” and make full use of sugarcane by-products.
In his keynote address titled Sweetening the Future, Chesire said the sector must rethink its role in the economy.
“We are rethinking the future through the lens of the bio-economy,” he said.
The strategy focuses on three key areas. Kenya aims to increase ethanol production from molasses, expand clean energy production through bagasse cogeneration, and increase industrial use of molasses to minimize waste throughout the value chain.
He said the approach is expected to stabilize incomes, reduce production costs, and support more than eight million people employed in the sugar industry. It will also strengthen the country’s renewable energy ambitions.
To ensure the transition to a new model, Kenya Sugar Board plans to modernize both agriculture and sugar processing. This includes introducing high-yielding varieties of sugarcane, expanding mechanization, and using precision farming techniques to improve efficiency and productivity.
More details: https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenya-targets-sugar-sector-overhaul-into-energy-hub