Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Cooperative and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, has urged coffee farmers from Migori not to sell their produce to markets in the neighboring countries.
Speaking in Suna West Sub-county during an empowerment programme organised by Suna West Member of Parliament, Peter Masara, Oparanya said that the government has set good prices for coffee farmers in the country.
The CS encouraged farmers to explore the Kenyan market so as to maximise profits and unlock more opportunities in the coffee sector.
Coffee prices for farmers in the country have risen to an average range of between Sh110 and Sh160 per kilogramme for cherry equivalents in 2026, up from a historical low of Sh30 to Sh70 per kilogramme.
He disclosed to coffee farmers who have coffee, but lack cash to expand their production, to utilise the cherry fund to increase their production.
Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund (CCARF) was established to provide affordable, sustainable, and accessible cherry advances to smallholder coffee farmers, whose land under coffee does not exceed 20 acres.
The CCARF has surpassed Sh15 billion through disbursements to small- and medium-scale coffee farmers, helping them cut their reliance on commercial bank loans, a significant milestone that has addressed the exploitation by middlemen and coffee cartels.
Oparanya noted that those who were selling their coffee across the border would continue to be exploited by the middlemen, get less profit, and miss out on government opportunities like the cherry fund.
The CS disclosed that the government will continue to give special focus on empowering cooperatives, the majority of which comprises more than 80 percent of small-scale farmers that contribute more than half of the coffee production in the country.
He also explained that the government was at the forefront of assisting farmers to become entrepreneurs, to increase their produce, profits, and generate job opportunities.
CS said that by supporting more entrepreneurs in various economic sectors, the country’s economic growth will be achieved to steer the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“As a Ministry, we shall train the farmers in groups, Saccos and cooperatives and complement the financial support provided through Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Development Fund and other programmes”, disclosed CS Oparanya.
The government official, however, encouraged the county governments to continue partnering with the national government to realise a transformation in the revival of the coffee sector in the country.
Suna West Member of Parliament (MP), Peter Masara, said that the empowerment programme will enable women and youth groups to grow their small and medium-scale enterprises for socio-economic development.
“We want to reduce poverty by empowering our youth and women to be self-reliant and independent to grow not only the economy of Migori, but also the economic transformative agenda of the whole country”, said Masara.
By Makokha Khaoya
