This archive report was first published on 3 July 2021.
Kenya's coffee industry is facing a significant decline, with the country's production averaging 40,000 metric tonnes per year, compared to Ethiopia's 700,000 metric tonnes annually.
According to Dr. Bernard Gichimu, Chairman of the Department of Agricultural Resource Management at the University of Embu, the average age of a coffee farmer in Kenya is 61, which is considered a 'very underproductive age.'
Dr. Gichimu emphasized the need to target and empower youths involved in coffee farming, saying, 'To revitalise the coffee farming industry, there is a need to target and empower youths involved in coffee and those willing to adopt coffee farming.'
As part of this effort, the University of Embu, the Coffee Connect Company, the Embu County Government, and Rabobank recently partnered to train 55 youths in coffee farming.
The training program covered all aspects of the coffee value chain, from propagation and nursery management to coffee processing and value addition.
Beneficiaries of the program, including Marion Wanjiku and James Mwangi, expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm for the training, saying they had gained valuable knowledge and skills that would help them transform their families' coffee farms.
However, despite the potential of the coffee sector, smallholder farmers in Kenya remain poor due to the high cost of production and low prices.
Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Connect Coffee Company, Duncan Busuru, noted that the country's low consumption of coffee, averaging 200g per person annually, is another factor stifling the growth of the sector.
Robobank Kenya Office Representative Elizabeth Kiarie emphasized the importance of involving the youth in the coffee value chain, saying, 'Involving the youth is always important because they are the future and very vibrant, full of energy, new ideas and innovations.'
