The newly elected leadership of Kirubia Farmers’ Cooperative Society has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to revive coffee farming, improve quality, and increase farmers’ earnings through better management, farmer training, and modernisation of factory infrastructure.
Speaking after his election as chairperson of the society, Alfan Gitari Njeru said the new leadership is committed to restoring confidence among members and positioning the society for sustainable growth.
Vice Chairperson Nyaga Kainga said members had previously raised concerns over the management of the society, leading to the appointment of an interim committee before the recent elections. He noted that the elections were conducted fairly and transparently, giving members an opportunity to elect leaders capable of steering the society towards a brighter future.
Kainga said the society, established in the 1950s, has a strong foundation and significant potential to transform the livelihoods of coffee farmers if managed effectively. He urged farmers who had stopped delivering their coffee to Kirubia Factory due to low returns and other challenges to return and support the revival efforts.
“We are calling on all members who have been taking their coffee to other factories to come back. The new management is ready to work with farmers to improve services, increase returns and restore the factory’s former glory,” he said.
He added that the new leadership will prioritize farmer training to improve coffee production, quality, and yields. Committee members will also undergo capacity-building programmes to strengthen their leadership and management skills.
Kainga further revealed plans to organize benchmarking visits to successful coffee-growing regions to enable farmers and officials to learn best practices that can enhance productivity and profitability.
“In the next few years, we want Kirubia to become a model cooperative society and a benchmark for other coffee factories,” he said.
He emphasized the need to renovate the factory’s aging infrastructure, noting that members had unanimously agreed on upgrading the facility to improve operational efficiency. He also highlighted water shortage as one of the major challenges facing the factory, explaining that the existing processing system consumes large amounts of water.
Kainga appealed to the government to support the society in acquiring modern coffee-processing machinery that uses less water and improves efficiency. He noted that clean water is essential in coffee processing, as poor-quality water affects taste and market value.
“The new management will uphold transparency, accountability, and teamwork while focusing on improving coffee quality, increasing production, and enhancing farmers’ incomes,” he said.
He encouraged farmers to expand coffee farming, noting that the crop remains a profitable venture when quality and productivity are maintained.
“We shall work together as one team. Through cooperation and commitment, we will restore the society and improve the livelihoods of our farmers,” he added.
The society’s Treasurer, Joe Gitonga, called on the government to support coffee farmers through subsidised fertiliser and agricultural inputs. He said the society has storage facilities that can be used for fertiliser distribution and urged the county government to partner with farmers to strengthen coffee production.
Gitonga noted that increased access to affordable farm inputs, technical support, and modern farming practices would help boost coffee yields and improve the economic well-being of farmers in the area.
by Dickson Mwiti and Christine Ngitori
