Coffee farmers reprieve as govt seeks to revive sector

Farmers in Uasin Gishu County have been encouraged to embrace the cultivation of other crops such as coffee in an effort to revive the coffee sector in the country.

According to the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Small Enterprises, Wycliffe Oparanya, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, will distribute 5 million coffee seedlings to farmers in the next financial year to support the expansion of coffee farming in the county.

” Coffee farming will be a game changer in the economy of our country. We have all it takes to be the leading exporters of coffee in the African continent,” Oparanya asserted.

The government is expected to allocate KSh 500 million, for coffee farming under the implementation of the new Kenya Planters Cooperative Union.

During his visit to the County, Oparanya also stated that the distribution of these seedlings will be done transparently, assuring farmers that everyone will receive their fair share, while emphasizing on supporting the existing coffee farmers.

“We already have a scheme that support the already practicing farmers so that in every bush, at least 10kgs of coffee can be produced. Additionally, the government has reduced the price of fertilizer to make it more affordable for farmers, as part of efforts to promote coffee farming in the country,” added Oparanya.

In an effort to restore coffee farming to its former glory, the deputy governor of Uasin Gishu County Evans Kapkea welcomed the move by calling upon the government to also support farmers with the required machinery, pesticides and proper storage facilities in order to make coffee growing a success.

“As a county, we fully support this move by the government and we are organizing a one on one meeting with coffee farmers to know what areas in the sector can be improved” Said Kapkea.