CS Oparanya urges farmers to utilize reforms on modernisation of coffee farming » Capital News

NAKURU, Kenya, Aug 11 – Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary, Wycliffe Oparanya has urged farmers to take advantage of the ongoing reforms and programmes that seek to modernise coffee farming and make it more rewarding.

The CS pledged full government backing for efforts to revitalise the once vibrant sector with an ambitious target of producing 151,000 metric tonnes of coffee and raking in Sh100 Billion in revenue by 2029.

He revealed that the government would place cooperative societies at the heart of a national strategy to boost production, empower farmers, and enhance the country’s export earnings.

Speaking during a meeting with coffee farmers in Kilgoris area of Narok County, Oparanya said the government’s revival of Coffee through cooperatives Programme was being guided by the newly formed National Steering Committee on Coffee Cooperatives Revitalisation.

“The initiative lays out a comprehensive set of goals to guide the sector’s recovery by expanding production from 51,852 to 151,000 metric tonnes by 2028/29,” he said.

He added that the initiative objectives included boosting productivity per tree from 2kg to 5kg, distributing 20 million seedlings annually to 200,000 farmers across 33 counties and increasing farmer earnings from Sh86 to Sh130 per kilogram of clean coffee cherry.

“The initiative also targets to grow the overall industry revenue from Sh35 billion to Sh100 billion within the same period,” the CS stated.

He said the initiative was part of a national strategy to boost production, empower farmers and enhance the country’s export earnings.

Oparanya said besides the production goals, the plan would improve cooperative governance, invest in modern infrastructure and enhance access to extension services, training, and global markets.

“Another major focus of the revival strategy is job creation for youth, the programme will promote income-generating activities across the coffee value chain, including seedling production, processing, packaging, transport and export facilitation,” he said.

He said in addition to farming, the government was committed to building livelihoods, driving rural development and placing Kenya back on the global coffee map.

Coffee has long been a major cash crop for Kenya, but its production declined significantly over the years.

Oparanya observed that as of the 2021/22 season, the area under coffee cultivation had fallen to just over 108,000 hectares saying that it was a steep drop caused largely by urban expansion and a shift to alternative income-generating activities, especially in the Central region.

The CS said counties in Western, Nyanza and the Rift Valley which were previously marginal players in coffee production were now being seen as emerging frontiers, with the government targeting them for renewed investment and support.

He said the collapse of cooperative governance, lack of transparency, outdated machinery and delayed or poor payments have plagued the sector over the years.

“High production costs, limited access to credit and technical advice and reduced global competitiveness have further discouraged many smallholder farmers from sticking with the crop,” he said

Oparanya noted that even with ideal soils and weather, Kenya’s coffee productivity has remained low, with many trees yielding less than 2kg annually.

The CS emphasised that cooperatives were critical to achieving the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) particularly in boosting rural incomes, creating employment, and increasing Kenya’s share in global agricultural exports.

“With coordinated action and investment, Kenya aims to reclaim its position as one of the world’s premier coffee producers,” he said.

He said as global demand for high-quality coffee continues to rise, Kenya’s strategy could mark the beginning of a true coffee comeback rooted in cooperation, innovation and farmer empowerment.