This archive report was first published on 8 June 2020.
On June 8, 2020, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru emphasized the importance of implementing President Uhuru's directives on coffee sector reforms, which would benefit farmers through the Cherry Advance Revolving Fund and other reforms.
The governor noted that coffee farmers in Kirinyaga have long suffered at the hands of middlemen who buy coffee from them without guaranteed prices. She called for speedy implementation of the President's directives to address this issue.
Waiguru pointed out that the county has a great potential in the coffee sector, with 44,969 acres of land under coffee grown by 67,578 farmers. However, the prevailing challenges, including lack of direct markets, delay in payment, unfair compensation, and lack of access to affordable farm inputs, need to be addressed.
The governor also emphasized the need for research and technology in coffee production, as well as enhancing the efficiency of coffee farmers' cooperatives. She called upon the ministry of agriculture to undertake debt waivers for coffee cooperatives to free farmers from debt burdens.
Waiguru assured the farmers that the county government is committed to supporting value addition of coffee, such as coffee roasting, to provide for direct sale to residents. She cited Mwirua Coffee Cooperative as an example of a cooperative that has coffee value addition equipment.
The average production of coffee in Kirinyaga County is 30,000 tonnes, with 2018/2019 registering 34,729 tonnes. The governor said that this amount can be improved to more than 50,000 tonnes if the prevailing challenges are addressed.
