This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Published on June 22, 2020, a report by The Standard highlighted the struggles of coffee farmers in Kiambu County, who have uprooted their coffee trees in protest of the low pay they receive for their crop.
Coffee farmers in Kiambu, Githunguru, and Komothai have been complaining about the Sh14 pay per kilo, which they claim is not enough reward for their hard work. They argue that the cost of producing one kilo of coffee is approximately Sh35, making the Sh14 pay an insult to their sweat.
The farmers have accused cooperative society officials and brokers of taking advantage of poor systems to rip them off. They have also blamed county officials in charge of overseeing cooperatives for failing in their job.
According to the farmers, production has gone down from 14 million kilos to 1.5 million per year, indicating the hard times the coffee industry is undergoing. Ndichu Muturi, a farmer, said Komothai was once a giant society but is now on its knees.
"If the government does not rescue us from this misery, we are going to uproot the bushes for other profitable crops," Ndichu said.
The farmers have also accused the coffee mills of being neglected, underperforming, and dens of conspiracy for theft. They claim that they get a 20 per cent cut from their pay to pay coffee mills workers, who have arrears of over 10 months or even one year.
Some farmers have resorted to using the trees to burn charcoal while others have left them unattended for months. Kaboci Gacura, 70, a retired civil servant, said they have been reduced to paupers.
