For decades, coffee was the pride of many households in Vihiga County. Proceeds from the crop paid school fees, built homes and sustained families, making it one of the region’s most dependable sources of income.
But as global prices plummeted in the 1990s and early 2000s, thousands of farmers uprooted their coffee trees or abandoned their plantations altogether, convinced the crop no longer held economic value.
Today, that story is changing. Across the county, green coffee seedlings are replacing abandoned bushes, cooperative societies are regaining members, and farmers are once again viewing coffee as a reliable pathway to prosperity.
The transformation is being driven by the National Coffee Sector Revitalization Programme, a collaborative initiative involving the national government, Vihiga County Government, the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (New KPCU), the Coffee Research Institute (CRI) and local cooperative societies. The programme aims to restore coffee production through the distribution of certified seedlings, farmer training, improved extension services and better access to markets.
Speaking during a Coffee Sector Revitalization Programme forum in Vihiga, Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to restoring coffee farming as a major economic activity.
“Our farmers deserve a profitable crop. We will continue distributing certified seedlings, strengthening cooperative societies and expanding extension services so that every interested farmer can benefit from the coffee revival programme,” the Governor said.
Kenya remains one of the world’s leading producers of premium Arabica coffee, with the sector supporting more than six million people directly and indirectly. Smallholder farmers account for nearly 70 per cent of the country’s coffee production, producing beans renowned for their superior quality and distinctive flavour.
Although Vihiga was once an important coffee-growing area, declining prices, crop diseases, changing weather patterns and financial constraints led many farmers to abandon the crop. The renewed government support and improved farm-gate prices are now reversing that trend.
At Wamondo Coffee Growers Society Limited, established in 1955, the signs of recovery are becoming increasingly evident.
Chairman Gibson Atsiaya says the cooperative is steadily rebuilding after years of declining production and dwindling membership.
“Many farmers abandoned coffee when prices fell and production became difficult. Today coffee has become profitable again, and we are encouraging farmers to return to the crop,” he said.
To promote transparency, Atsiaya explained that new members pay a registration fee of Sh500 and purchase shares worth Sh1,500, with all payments deposited directly into the Cooperative Bank through an official pay bill number.
He dismissed claims that the money is used to purchase seedlings, explaining that certified coffee seedlings are supplied free of charge through government programmes and New KPCU before being distributed to registered farmers.
Beyond distributing seedlings, the cooperative provides farmers with training on land preparation, manure application, proper planting techniques, crop management and post-harvest handling. Farmers also undertake exchange visits to successful coffee-growing regions to learn modern production practices.
The renewed enthusiasm has been fueled by a sharp rise in coffee prices.
Where farmers previously earned about Sh45 per kilogram, they are now receiving approximately Sh185 per kilogram, making coffee one of the most attractive cash crops for many households.
Vihiga Sub-County Agriculture Officer Maurine Nkatha says the county is encouraging farmers to plant improved coffee varieties such as Ruiru 11 and Batian, which are high-yielding and resistant to major diseases.
She noted that the varieties are well suited to Vihiga’s small land holdings, where most farmers cultivate less than half an acre.
Nkatha added that extension officers are promoting sustainable farming practices, including the application of organic manure, mulching, proper spacing and soil moisture conservation to improve productivity.
Farmers are also being trained on proper planting methods, including preparing planting holes measuring 60 by 60 by 60 centimeters, mixing topsoil with well-decomposed manure and watering seedlings regularly during establishment.
Coffee Research Institute representative Amos Shikoha described coffee as “black gold” and urged farmers to adopt good agronomic practices to maximize production and quality.
“A coffee tree must be well nourished, protected against pests and diseases and properly managed if farmers are to realise high yields and quality produce,” he said.
To cushion farmers financially, New KPCU has introduced the Cherry Advance Revolving Fund, enabling growers to receive interest-free advance payments immediately after delivering coffee cherries to their cooperative societies instead of waiting until the coffee is marketed.
New KPCU official Moses Mugasi said the facility allows farmers to access funds through mobile money platforms or bank accounts, helping them meet pressing household expenses such as school fees and farm inputs.
He added that the union is also partnering with the county government to train young people from all wards as coffee extension champions to support farmers with agronomic advice, cooperative management and post-harvest handling.
Despite the encouraging progress, stakeholders acknowledge that several challenges remain.
Prolonged dry spells, crop diseases and a shortage of certified seedlings continue to slow the pace of expansion. Officials estimate that Vihiga requires nearly 78,000 seedlings to fully restore coffee production, prompting plans to establish local nurseries to reduce dependence on supplies from Central Kenya.
Stakeholders also cite the need for improved transport, better communication equipment and expanded farmer training facilities to sustain the gains already made.
Even so, optimism is growing. With fertile soils, favorable climatic conditions, rising coffee prices and renewed collaboration among government agencies, research institutions and cooperative societies, Vihiga is steadily reclaiming its place on Kenya’s coffee map.
For many farmers, the crop once written off as a relic of the past is once again becoming “black gold”—offering renewed hope for improved household incomes, stronger cooperative societies and a more resilient rural economy.
By Crispinus Ivan and Winstar Jaika
