The government, through the New Kenya Planters’ Cooperative Union (New KPCU), has intensified efforts to revive the country’s coffee sector, with early results indicating steady progress in production, farmer participation and market performance.
At the centre of the initiative is a nationwide coffee seedling distribution programme targeting more than 20 million certified seedlings.
The ongoing exercise is expected to benefit over 200,000 farmers across the country.
So far, more than 1.4 million seedlings have been distributed in 17 counties, reaching over 11,000 registered farmers.
By the end of the current planting season, the number is projected to rise to approximately 1.7 million seedlings.
The distribution forms part of a broader, intensive three-year coffee sector revival programme, aimed at restoring Kenya’s position as a leading global coffee producer, while significantly increasing farmer earnings.
The programme seeks to boost productivity from an average of about 2 kilograms to as much as 20 kilograms per tree.
Led by the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs and implemented by New KPCU, the initiative focuses on structural reforms, direct farmer payments, and subsidized inputs to enhance productivity and eliminate exploitative intermediaries.
According to the 2026 progress update, New KPCU Managing Director Timothy Mirugi said the programme is firmly on track and already delivering measurable results nationwide.
Anchored on cooperative societies, the initiative is driving a structured transformation across the coffee value chain, restoring confidence among farmers, strengthening participation, and repositioning the sector for sustainable growth.
Since its rollout, the programme has expanded to 34 coffee-growing counties through coordinated sensitization and mobilization campaigns.
This wide-reaching engagement has brought thousands of farmers back into coffee farming and revitalized cooperative societies as key drivers of the industry.
A key pillar of the programme is the Ward Champion Programme, a grassroots framework designed to enhance service delivery at the local level.
Through ward-based champions, farmers are receiving improved access to extension services, better cooperative governance, and support in adopting modern agronomic practices.
“This localized approach has been instrumental in rebuilding trust and driving participation across both traditional and emerging coffee-growing regions,” said Mirugi.
He noted that the strong uptake of seedlings reflects renewed farmer confidence in coffee farming, adding that the intervention is critical in expanding acreage, rejuvenating aging trees and accelerating production growth.
Traditional coffee-producing counties including Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Nyeri, Kericho, and Murang’a continue to anchor national output.
Meanwhile, emerging regions such as Nandi, Baringo, Trans Nzoia, and Uasin Gishu are recording notable growth, signaling an expanding geographic footprint for the crop.
The programme is guided by ambitious national targets, including increasing productivity to 6 kilograms per tree in the medium term, scaling national output from 51,852 metric tonnes to 150,000 metric tonnes, raising average cherry prices to Sh130 per kilogram by 2028, and boosting annual coffee revenues from Sh35 billion to Sh100 billion.
In addition, the initiative is investing in youth empowerment and skills development to ensure long-term sustainability.
So far, 1,030 young people have been trained, with a target of 1,600, and more than 100 already placed in farms and related institutions.
Reforms in coffee marketing are also yielding results, with improved transparency and greater participation of farmer-owned entities in both auction and direct sales channels, thus enhancing price discovery and farmer returns.
During the 2025/26 auction cycle, coffee fetched an average price of $430 per bag ($8.60 per kilogram), while Kenya’s specialty coffee continues to command premium prices globally, with top lots reaching up to $120 per kilogram.
Efforts to boost domestic consumption and enterprise development are also underway, including the introduction of mobile coffee vending units and cooperative-based retail outlets.
These initiatives are expanding local demand while creating new economic opportunities, particularly for youth and women.
The projected impact of the programme is substantial. It aims to expand coffee cultivation to 180,000 hectares, increase production to 150,000 metric tonnes, raise farmer earnings to Sh130 per kilogram, grow national revenues to Sh100 billion, and create up to 6.9 million jobs across the value chain.
“The progress achieved so far demonstrates that the revival of Kenya’s coffee sector is firmly on course,” said Mirugi, adding that through disciplined implementation, grassroots mobilization, targeted interventions, and sustained reforms, they are laying the foundation for a resilient, competitive and farmer-driven coffee industry.
The MD reaffirmed New KPCU’s commitment to sustaining the momentum and working closely with stakeholders to secure long-term value for farmers and the national economy.
By Wangari Ndirangu
