The Government intends to increase coffee production from 50,000 metric tonnes to 150,000 by the 2028/2029 Financial Year, Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Co-operatives and Micro and Small Enterprises Wycliffe Oparanya has said.
Oparanya challenged farmers to give farming a priority and take it as a business, noting that the government will explore areas where coffee can grow and ensure more people grow coffee to meet the target.
Consequently, he said the government will also work closely with the 33 County governments, where coffee grows well, with a view to meeting the target as directed by President William Ruto.
“President Ruto directed the production of coffee to increase from 50,000 metric tonnes to 150,000 by the 2028/2029 Financial Year. This is not easy; you being farmers in Kenya must take farming as a priority and make it a business that can improve your lives,” said Oparanya while addressing coffee farmers at Kikima town in Mbooni West, Thursday.
“As a government we shall explore areas where coffee can grow well and recruit more farmers to start to plant coffee. The County governments must be in our plans so that we can succeed,” added the CS.
During the meeting that was attended by hundreds of farmers from Kilungu and Mbooni Sub-counties, the CS expressed concern over the low production of coffee per bush in Makueni County.
“Coffee production per bush here in Makueni County is an average of 2 kgs. I got a chance to visit a farmer in Meru County; production per bush was 100 kg. So, you need to increase production from at least 2kgs to 20 kilograms,” Oparanya said.
On reforms, the Cabinet Secretary said that the government will bring change in governance to ensure farmers benefit from farm produce, unlike now, where they are earning little.
He noted that fresh elections will be conducted once the Co-operative Bill that is before the Senate is signed into law by the President, saying this will help farmers reap maximum benefits from their coffee production.
“I know some people don’t want reforms. That is why I shall bring reforms to see how farmers can get justice. I want to see farmers benefiting from their coffee production,” he posed.
“When I was two weeks old in the office, the President sent me to go to Murang’a County to one Cooperative Society, where farmers were fighting. One woman said, look at me; I have been growing coffee for 45 years. I cannot afford to buy good shoes or educate my children. Look at the Chairperson of the Society; he is rich,” observed the CS.
Speaking at the same event, Principal Secretary (PS) for Cooperatives Patrick Kiburi Kilemi urged farmers in the County to increase acreage of coffee farming and hence improve productivity.
At the same time, Kilemi noted that the government will not allow officials at cooperatives to take unnecessary loans, which he said was a burden on farmers as they pay for debts that did not benefit them.
The PS noted that farmers stand to benefit from coffee growing, adding that the government will provide farmers with subsidised fertiliser that will be sold at Sh2,500 per 50kg bag.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM), Department of Agriculture, Joyce Mutua, said that the County government has provided 26,000 coffee seedlings to farmers, adding that the National Government gave an additional 10,000.
Consequently, Ms. Mutua said that the County government intends to increase acreage of coffee production in the County and disclosed that they are in the process of revamping the extension services.
“As a government, we intend to revamp the extension services to farmers. We have prepared a budget for this in the 2025/2026 Financial Year. Extension officers will be facilitated to reach farmers in their farms,” said Mutua.
The CECM further revealed that the County government has partnered with New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (NKPCU) to help farmers in the County in marketing their farm produce.
Present at the function was Mbooni West Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Stanlaus Apwoka, among other leaders.
By Patrick Nyakundi
