Coffee farmers in Uasin Gishu County have a reason to celebrate after the government announced a major support package aimed at revitalizing the sector.
Speaking during a meeting with New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU) members in Eldoret, the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Wycliffe Oparanya unveiled plans to distribute 200 thousand coffee seedlings this year and another 5 million in the next financial year.
Oparanya further affirmed the government’s commitment to support the sector in order to restore its glory in terms of increasing production from the current annual 50,000 metric tonnes to 150,000 metric tonnes by 2027.
He noted that neighbouring countries like Uganda and Ethiopia have surpassed Kenya in coffee output, and the government is determined to reclaim the country’s former glory in the global coffee market.
“The government has future plans to distribute 20 million seedlings and has set aside Sh500 million to boost coffee production,” said Oparanya.
To further support farmers, Oparanya revealed that NPK 17:17: fertilizer is now available at a subsidized price of Sh2,500 per bag through coffee factories and National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots.
Additionally, the government has allocated Sh2 billion for the purchase of coffee pulping machines, which will be delivered within six months, he said. He also encouraged farmers to transition to organic fertilizers for sustainable productivity.
Oparanya emphasized the importance of having modern milling equipment in every county, a goal the government plans to achieve through KPCU support.
He also urged farmers to register with the cooperative and expand their acreage under coffee cultivation while encouraging diversification into coffee farming to improve income levels.
The Minister highlighted the involvement of youth and women in coffee projects as a priority for economic empowerment.
In a bid to address youth unemployment, Oparanya announced the upcoming rollout of the NYOTA project by the Kenyan government, which will recruit one million youth aged 18–29 years across the country, 70 per ward, to undergo entrepreneurship training. Upon completion of the training, each participant will receive a grant of Sh50,000 to support them to engage in agripreneurship.
Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Evans Kapkea affirmed the county government’s commitment to supporting farmers, while calling for enhanced research, improved seed varieties, better storage and efficient milling infrastructure.
According to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Kenya ranked 19th globally in coffee production in 2024, focusing primarily on Arabica coffee. In the 2022/23 season, Kenya held the 17th position, producing 724,610 bags (60kg each)—representing 0.43 percent of the global coffee market. For pure Arabica coffee, Kenya ranked 15th worldwide, contributing 0.82 percent to global output.
