Kenya Launches Ambitious 2023-2027 Strategic Plan to Revitalize Coffee Sector
The New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (New KPCU) has unveiled a five-year strategic plan aimed at transforming Kenya’s coffee industry, boosting production per bush from the current 2 kilograms to an ambitious 10 kilograms.
The launch event, attended by hundreds of farmers from over 30 coffee-growing counties, provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the sector’s outlook and growth strategies.
Strengthening the Coffee Industry
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs, Hon. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya, underscored the coffee sector’s critical role in Kenya’s economy as a leading foreign exchange earner and a vital livelihood source for over 800,000 farmers and rural households.
“Coffee remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners and a lifeline for rural communities,” Oparanya stated during the launch. He noted that despite challenges, the sector demonstrated resilience, with coffee exports increasing from 42,858 tonnes to 47,957 tonnes in 2022-2023, generating $252.12 million (Ksh32.5 billion) in revenue.
However, the industry continues to grapple with erratic weather, high input costs, shrinking coffee-growing areas, delayed payments, and governance issues in cooperatives. Oparanya highlighted reforms aimed at addressing these challenges, including collaborating with the Co-operative University of Kenya to develop tailored training materials for farmers.
Reclaiming Kenya’s Coffee Legacy
New KPCU board chairperson Daniel K. Kiprotich Chemno expressed optimism about reclaiming Kenya’s position among the world’s top coffee producers.
“Kenya is still renowned for its quality coffee, and we are committed to reviving this legacy,” Chemno said. He emphasized the need to attract younger farmers to the sector and advocated for increasing Robusta coffee production, particularly in Western Kenya, where it was historically prevalent.
Key Strategic Plan Highlights
New KPCU Managing Director Timothy Mirugi outlined the union’s focus areas under the strategic plan, including:
- Farmer Training and Support: Establishing demonstration farms and partnering with unions and cooperatives to improve farmer education and input distribution.
- Facility Modernization: Upgrading Sagana processing facilities, expanding warehouse capacity to 946,000 square feet, and enhancing laboratory services for better quality control.
- Capacity Building: Empowering 250 wet mills across coffee-growing counties and increasing milling capacity from 3,025 tonnes in 2022-2023 to 30,000 tonnes by 2027.
- Improving Farmer Earnings: Raising farmer earnings from the current average of Ksh70 per kilogram of cherry to at least Ksh135 by 2027.
Government Support and Funding
The Coffee Cherry Fund, supported by the government, has already disbursed Ksh5.8 billion to benefit over 415,000 farmers nationwide. This fund, coupled with strategic modernization and capacity-building efforts, is expected to significantly enhance the coffee value chain.
A Path to Sustainability
With these reforms and investments, Kenya’s coffee sector is poised for a revival, creating sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers and boosting the country’s economy.
