Farmers and cooperatives have been urged to invest in quality production, sustainable farming practices, and compliance with international standards in order to remain competitive in global coffee markets.
Principal Secretary for Cooperatives Patrick Kilemi said the growing global demand for traceability, sustainability, and quality assurance requires stronger certification and compliance systems across the entire coffee value chain.
Speaking on Tuesday during the East Africa Coffee Markets and Conference (EACMC) 2026 Breakfast Meeting in Nairobi, Kilemi noted that the government is encouraging value addition, branding, and market differentiation to enable farmers and cooperatives to earn more from Kenya’s globally recognized coffee.
He emphasized the importance of regional integration, noting that East African countries can strengthen their bargaining power, attract investment, and expand market opportunities by positioning the region’s coffee as a premium global brand.
Kilemi further called for increased participation of youth and women in the coffee sector through technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, saying the future of the industry depends on attracting a new generation of farmers and agribusiness leaders.
He also highlighted the role of digitization in modernizing cooperative operations, saying digital solutions will improve efficiency, reduce transaction costs, enhance traceability, and provide farmers with timely access to information.
The PS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revitalizing Kenya’s coffee sector through reforms aimed at strengthening cooperative societies, improving market access, and increasing farmers’ earnings.
“Cooperatives remain the backbone of the coffee value chain, serving hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers across the country. Ongoing reforms are focused on improving governance, strengthening farmer representation, enhancing transparency in marketing systems, and ensuring farmers receive a fair share of returns from their produce,” he said.
He added that the government is promoting sound leadership, accountability, and professional management within coffee cooperatives while reviewing legal and policy frameworks to make the sector more efficient and commercially sustainable.
Kilemi urged stakeholders attending the conference to forge partnerships, explore new business opportunities, and develop practical solutions that will improve livelihoods for coffee farmers across East Africa.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote quality, sustainability, market access, value addition, and improved incomes for farmers.
The event marked the official countdown to the East Africa Coffee Markets Conference 2026, a premier regional platform dedicated to promoting coffee trade, investment, innovation, sustainability, and market development.
Participants discussed practical solutions aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of East African coffee in both regional and international markets.
EACMC Chief Executive Officer Bernadette Murgor described the meeting as a key milestone in building broader stakeholder engagement and collaboration across the coffee sector.
“East Africa Coffee Markets Conference 2026 is more than a conference; it is a strategic market access platform designed to connect producers, cooperatives, exporters, buyers, and investors through meaningful business opportunities,” she said.
She added that the Coffee Market Access and Partnership initiative marks the beginning of efforts to build partnerships, support systems, and market linkages needed to strengthen the competitiveness of East African coffee in the global marketplace.
The conference is expected to serve as a catalyst for business networking, investment promotion, knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue, reinforcing East Africa’s position as a leading coffee-producing region and a competitive player in the global coffee market.
The East Africa Coffee Markets & Conference (EACMC) is a regional platform that brings together stakeholders from across the coffee ecosystem to promote trade, investment, innovation, sustainability, and market development.
Through conferences, exhibitions, hosted buyer programmes, and strategic partnerships, EACMC seeks to strengthen the region’s coffee sector, expand access to global markets, and create meaningful business opportunities for producers and industry actors across East Africa.
By Wangari Ndirangu
