Coffee farmers across Kenya are celebrating a new era of prosperity, thanks to ongoing reforms in the sector spearheaded by the Kenya Kwanza administration. For farmers like Joseph Gichoya and Kariuki Mwendia, both retired teachers turned coffee growers, the once struggling industry is now a source of pride and financial success.
Gichoya, who taught for 37 years before venturing into coffee farming in Baragwi, Kirinyaga County, says the transformation in the sector has brought him the best returns of his life. “I am smiling all the way because this is the best price that I have ever seen in my life as a coffee farmer,” he said, reflecting on the record Sh145 per kilogram of cherry received last year.
This resurgence follows the 2023 Coffee Stakeholder Summit in Meru, which marked the launch of major reforms aimed at restoring profitability in the sub-sector. The government prioritized coffee as a key value chain under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), focusing on grassroots economic growth.
Key initiatives include the reopening of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE), the introduction of the Direct Settlement System (DSS) for transparent transactions, and the establishment of the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund (CCARF), now worth Sh7 billion, to support smallholder farmers with affordable financing.
Inspired by the success, Gichoya is now expanding his plantation by replacing banana trees with coffee, hoping for even higher returns. “If things go like this, we will be very rich. In fact, I will soon be able to drive those big cars you see on the roads,” he said enthusiastically.
Equally thrilled is Mwendia, who employs up to 80 workers during peak harvest season. He praised the government’s commitment, calling the coffee revival one of its most commendable achievements.
The reforms have not only improved farmers’ incomes but also generated rural employment. Gichoya proudly noted that he hires 40 workers during harvesting, contributing to job creation in his community.
With smiles stretching from Kirinyaga to other coffee-growing counties, the once ailing sector is now brimming with renewed hope and promise.
