South Nyanza Sugar Company Ltd (SonySugar) has launched its strategic plan for 2024-2029, setting a transformative course for growth, sustainability, and industry leadership.
The plan, which focuses on agricultural expansion, factory modernization, financial stability, and market competitiveness, aims to strengthen SonySugar’s role in Kenya’s sugar sector.
Speaking as the chief guest at the launch event, Engineer Nicholas Gumbo, the Chairperson of the Kenya Sugar Board of Directors, commended SonySugar’s resilience and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the sugar industry.
He emphasized the importance of farmer empowerment, noting that the industry’s focus must shift to those who cultivate sugarcane.
“The focus must shift to the farmers because sugar is not made in factories; it is made in the farms.
We want every sugarcane farmer, from Migori to Busia and Kwale, to benefit from their hard work,” said Gumbo.
He urged SonySugar’s leadership to ensure that employees and farmers are at the heart of the implementation of the strategic plan.
Addressing concerns about industry reforms, he reassured stakeholders that the government is keen on ensuring that all programs, including leasing initiatives, benefit the sugar industry and local communities.
He further stressed that the success of the strategic plan depends on the full support of Sony Sugar’s workforce, stating,
“If employees don’t own the strategic plan, then this launch is in vain. They must see the benefits of the plan in their livelihoods.”
SonySugar Managing Director Martine Dima outlined the key targets of the five-year plan, which include increasing sugarcane delivery from 1,000 to 2,700 tonnes per day and expanding cane cultivation from 6,100 to 12,100 hectares.
The company also aims to optimize factory operations to process 3,000 tonnes of cane per day.
Financial projections indicate a growth in gross turnover from KES 4.9 billion to KES 6.4 billion by 2029, with net profits expected to rise from KES 24.9 million to KES 498 million in the same period.
Dima described the plan as a living roadmap that would guide the company’s actions and investments, ensuring resilience, efficiency, and stakeholder engagement.
He noted that SonySugar is also leveraging technology and innovation to improve sugar quality, enhance sustainability, and strengthen its competitiveness in both local and regional markets.
The strategic plan is built on four key pillars: customer excellence, operational efficiency, talent development, and financial growth.
Both Gumbo and Dima urged all stakeholders, from farmers to policymakers, to support the plan, emphasizing that collaboration is key to restoring SonySugar’s former glory.
The event, attended by industry leaders, government officials, and farmers, reaffirmed SonySugar’s crucial role in Kenya’s agricultural economy.
IAN BYRON 
KTMN Reporter