This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
Nyeri County has set its sights on becoming a major coffee producer, with a Sh200 million injection aimed at increasing annual production to 140 million kilograms by 2022.
According to Governor Mutahi Kahiga, the funds will be disbursed in two phases, drawn from the county's equitable share and local resources.
Already, Sh50 million has been utilised to purchase 90,000 bags of lime to check the acidity of coffee farms, with a further Sh100 million allocated to buy three soil scanners.
The remaining funds will be set aside to subsidise the sector, with the goal of providing reliable information to farmers on soil conditions to inform fertiliser use.
Currently, soil testing has been a costly affair for farmers, with each sample costing Sh1,500. Under the new programme, this cost will be reduced to Sh600 per sample.
With this investment, Nyeri County hopes to revitalise its coffee sector and increase production, benefiting local farmers and the economy.
