By Anchor Writers
Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. today constituted a special taskforce to overhaul the troubled mango value chain in Makueni County.
The action signals a new attempt by the county administration to confront a crisis that has left thousands of farmers grappling with persistent post-harvest losses and volatile prices.
The taskforce, created through Executive Order No. 2 of 2026 issued on March 6, has three weeks to propose sweeping reforms aimed at stabilizing the sector, improving market access and strengthening the systems that connect farmers to processors and buyers.
The move comes amid continuing scrutiny of the county’s flagship processing facility, the Makueni County Mango Processing Plant at Kalamba, which was established to absorb surplus fruit and reduce wastage during peak harvest seasons but has struggled to meet expectations among farmers.
For years, growers across Makueni have watched tonnes of mangoes spoil in orchards or fetch painfully low prices due to weak aggregation systems, limited processing capacity and the dominance of brokers who control farm-gate markets.
County officials say the new taskforce will focus on addressing these systemic weaknesses rather than isolated management issues.
Among its key assignments is the development of strategies to eliminate post-harvest losses, stabilize prices and ensure more predictable incomes for farmers who depend heavily on mango production.
The team will also recommend measures to reduce farmers’ dependence on middlemen — a long-standing complaint among growers who say brokers often dictate prices during peak harvest periods when fruit supply overwhelms local markets.
Preparing the county’s mango industry for export markets is another major pillar of the reforms. The taskforce will propose systems to improve quality standards, strengthen coordination within the supply chain and enhance aggregation and supply mechanisms to meet international market requirements.
Equally important will be proposals aimed at ensuring sustainable operations at the Kalamba processing plant, which remains central to the county’s long-term strategy of promoting value addition and reducing fruit wastage.
The plant is operated by the Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority, whose chief executive, Joseph Kioko, has been at the centre of recent public debate following questions raised by members of the Makueni County Assembly over the plant’s performance and management.
However, the immediate focus of the new initiative appears to be broader sector reform rather than individual accountability.
County officials say the goal is to build a more coordinated mango value chain capable of delivering reliable markets, reducing waste and unlocking higher earnings for farmers.
Makueni remains one of Kenya’s leading mango-producing regions, yet the sector has long struggled to translate production strength into stable incomes for growers.
The taskforce comprises Mr. Nzioka King’ola, Eng. Josphat Musyoki, Eng. Petronila Ogut, Mr. John Thiong’o, Ms. Caroline Ngina and Ms. Dorcus Mutua.
Governor Kilonzo has directed the team to submit a comprehensive report within three weeks outlining actionable reforms and an implementation roadmap for transforming the sector.
The success of the taskforce will ultimately be judged not by the report it produces, but by whether the reforms will finally bring money to the pockets of Makueni Mango farmers.
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