Bomet: The Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives, MSMEs, and Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, has urged farmers in key coffee-producing regions to engage in coffee farming to leverage the increasing global demand for the beverage.
According to Kenya News Agency, Oparanya emphasized during a sensitization meeting in Bomet County that Kenya's current pyrethrum production is significantly low, averaging 50,000 metric tonnes annually, despite its potential to produce ten times that amount if farmers adopt cash crop farming. Reflecting on the coffee production boom of the 1970s and 1980s, when Kenya was a leading producer alongside Brazil and Ethiopia, he highlighted the need to address the current decline and underperformance in the sector.
The government has launched a nationwide coffee revival campaign to encourage and support farmers and farmer groups in increasing coffee production for both local and export markets. As part of this initiative, the government has allocated Sh2 billion for the revival efforts, with Sh500 million designated for purchasing and distributing coffee seedlings to farmers at no cost this year.
Oparanya disclosed plans to distribute these seedlings to coffee cooperatives nationwide and procure pulping machines to enhance initial coffee processing, addressing quality and quantity challenges faced by farmers. To ensure the program's success, the government will also facilitate capacity building for farmers at the grassroots level. Two farmer representatives from each ward in Bomet and other target counties will receive training at the Coffee Research Institute and the Cooperative University on best practices in coffee production, management, and cooperative development.
The coffee revival initiative aims to empower local farmers by boosting productivity and returns, while restoring Kenya's historical significance in the global coffee market. Oparanya encouraged youth participation in coffee production and the cooperative movement to effectively approach both local and international markets.
Bomet County's leadership and residents have welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism about its potential positive economic impact. Bomet Deputy Governor David Rotich committed the county government to actively collaborate with stakeholders in the coffee sector to enhance coffee production in the region.