Plant pathologist Getrude Okutoyi Alworah has driven transformative efforts to address gender disparities in Kenya's coffee sector, where women constitute the majority of farm laborers but receive minimal economic benefits compared to male stakeholders in post-harvest processing and profit distribution.
Women in Kenya's coffee value chain predominantly handle planting, weeding, and harvesting tasks, yet they remain excluded from higher-value stages of the industry. This imbalance was highlighted in 2014 when Alworah and colleague Dr. Cecilia Kathurumia provided 50 women in Bungoma with coffee seedlings through the coffee kitchen gardens program, marking the beginning of broader empowerment initiatives.
Through the Alliance of Women in Coffee (AWIC), Alworah has since trained over 500 women in coffee production techniques, processing methods, and economic opportunities within the sector. "We help women understand the soil-to-cup journey of coffee," she explained. "Previously, they applied fertilizers without knowing their significance or the value added to the crop."
Alworah's work has gained recognition, including a recent nomination for the Zuri Award in the Agriculture category. The annual award, aligned with International Women's Day, celebrates female achievements in various fields. The ceremony is scheduled for March 7 at Villa Rosa Kempinski.
