The Sugar Act, 2024 assented by the President on 1st November 2024 started working on 21st November 2024.
The Act provides for the development, regulation, and promotion of the sugar industry. It establishes the Kenya Sugar Board and the Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute. The Kenya Sugar Board will now regulate and manage the sugar industry. Previously, these functions were being handled by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA). The Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute will assume the sugar research functions that were previously under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO).
Agriculture CS Andrew Karanja has appointed Acting Chief Executive Officers for both institutions.
The Act provides that persons who were members of staff of the former Kenya Sugar Board before the commencement of the AFA Act 2013, currently serving the Authority and those in the AFA Sugar Directorate shall transition to become staff members of the Board.
The Act also provides for representation of growers, private and public owned sugar mills in the Kenya Sugar Board. The Ministry in consultation with the County Governments and other stakeholders will develop procedures for election of these representatives. The Agriculture CS has also constituted a Transition Committee to ensure smooth operationalization of the Act.
