The government has reaffirmed its commitment to revitalizing Kenya’s coffee sector following the signing of the Coffee Bill into law, ushering in reforms aimed at increasing farmers’ incomes, boosting production, and restoring the country’s position as a leading coffee producer.
Two Cabinet Secretaries, Mutahi Kagwe and Wycliffe Oparanya, whose dockets play a pivotal role in the Coffee industry have hailed the raft of reforms rolled out by the government as the roadmap for transformation of the sector.
Speaking during the Coffee Revival Programme in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe thanked President William Ruto for signing the Coffee Bill, describing it as a major milestone that will transform the coffee value chain and address challenges that have affected farmers for years.
Kagwe said the new law strengthens institutions responsible for the coffee sector, including the Coffee Board and the Coffee Research and Training Institute, enabling them to better serve farmers through improved regulation, research, quality assurance, and farmer training.
He noted that strengthening these institutions will help farmers adopt modern farming practices, access improved coffee varieties, combat pests and diseases, and improve the quality of their produce.
According to Kagwe, better research and continuous farmer training will increase productivity while ensuring Kenyan coffee remains competitive in international markets.
“The Coffee Bill provides a solid legal framework that will protect farmers’ interests while ensuring the sector is professionally managed from production to marketing,” he said.
Kagwe, said that within the next 60 days, the government will have completed the process of fully operationalizing the Coffee Board under the new Coffee Act.
He explained that once the Board is fully in place, it will take up its mandate of regulating the sector and overseeing key reforms aimed at improving the coffee value chain.
Kagwe said the establishment of the Coffee Board will strengthen governance in the industry, enhance transparency and accountability, improve quality assurance, and ensure coffee farmers benefit from a well-coordinated and efficiently managed sector. He noted that the reforms are expected to restore farmers’ confidence in coffee farming, encourage increased investment in coffee production, and contribute to higher incomes for growers across the country.
Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Cabinet Secretary, Wycliffe Oparanya said the government has made significant progress in addressing long-standing challenges facing the coffee industry through a series of reforms aimed at increasing production and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
Oparanya said the government has rolled out the distribution of improved coffee seedlings, subsidised fertiliser programmes, and strengthened agricultural extension services to support farmers with technical knowledge and best farming practices.
He added that the government will also intensify the training of extension officers to ensure they are equipped with modern skills and technologies that can be transferred directly to farmers.
“The extension officers are the bridge between research institutions and farmers. By empowering them, we will ensure every coffee-growing region receives the guidance needed to improve productivity and quality,” he said.
Oparanya said the government’s target is to increase Kenya’s annual coffee production to 150,000 tonnes by 2028, largely by improving average yields from the current estimated two kilograms of cherry per coffee stem through better husbandry, quality inputs, and modern farming methods.
He urged farmers in areas recording low coffee production to embrace the government’s interventions and improve management of existing coffee bushes. He also encouraged farmers in suitable regions where coffee has not been widely grown to consider planting the crop to expand the country’s production base.
by David Wandeto
