Career paths · 3 min read
Flower farm and tea estate jobs in Kenya: pay and terms to check
The 2026 agricultural minimum wages, what consolidated pay means, how seasonal and casual work converts to monthly terms, and what to ask before you sign.
Flower farms around Naivasha, Thika and Nakuru and tea estates in Kericho, Nandi and Mt Kenya employ tens of thousands of people, many in their first job. Farm work has its own minimum wage order, separate from the one for towns. Here are the 2026 rates and the terms worth checking.
Farm work has its own wages order
The Regulation of Wages (General) Order does not apply to workers in the agricultural industry (paragraph 2(1)). They are covered by the Regulation of Wages (Agricultural Industry) Order, amended for 2026 by Legal Notice 109 of 2026 with effect from 1 May 2026.
Its schedule is headed basic minimum consolidated wages. Consolidated means the figure is the whole minimum, not a basic wage with housing allowance to add on top as in the General Order.
The 2026 agricultural minimum wages
Unskilled employee: 9,196.93 a month or 386.24 a day Stockman, herdsman, watchman: 10,621.15 a month or 449.81 a day House servant or cook: 10,498.82 a month Farm foreman or farm clerk: 16,591.20 a month Tractor driver: 11,656.75 a month Lorry or car driver: 13,476.47 a month
These are minimums. Many large farms and estates pay more under collective agreements, so ask whether one applies to your job.
Seasonal and casual work
Picking and packing peaks bring short contracts and daily work. In law a casual employee is paid at the end of each day and engaged for no more than twenty four hours at a time (Employment Act, section 2). If you work continuous days adding up to a month or more, you are treated as a monthly employee, with notice rights (section 37).
Keep a record of the days you work. It is your evidence if the farm treats you as casual for months.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is the pay daily, monthly or by the kilo picked, and what is the guaranteed minimum?
- Is housing provided, and is anything deducted for it?
- Which protective gear is provided for spraying and in cold stores?
- Is there transport to the farm, and who pays for it?
- Is there a collective agreement, and which grade is the job?
Sources and further reading
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Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage for farm workers in Kenya in 2026?
KSh 9,196.93 a month or KSh 386.24 a day for an unskilled employee, under the Agricultural Industry Order as amended by Legal Notice 109 of 2026, from 1 May 2026.
Does the farm minimum wage include housing?
The agricultural schedule is headed basic minimum consolidated wages, so the figure is the whole minimum rather than basic pay plus a separate housing allowance.
When does a casual farm worker become a monthly employee?
When the continuous working days add up to at least a month, under section 37 of the Employment Act.