Italy is set to invest €15 million (Sh2.09 billion) in the construction of a state-of-the-art training centre aimed at enhancing coffee productivity, quality and sustainability.

The facility will serve as a centre of excellence, equipping farmers and professionals with skills in green coffee quality control, cupping, roasting, blending and packaging, ultimately strengthening Kenya’s coffee value chain.

Lorenza Gambacorta, Italy’s deputy ambassador to Kenya, emphasized the need to reinforce the Coffee Research Institute (CRI) to drive innovation in the sub-sector.

She said improved farming techniques, better seedlings, and sustainable practices are key to boosting livelihoods. The initiative will not only elevate coffee standards but also create job opportunities and attract young people back to farming through technological advancements.

Farmers support in value chain

Speaking at CRI in Juja, Kiambu County, during the final event of Arabika, an Italy-funded project supporting Kenyan coffee farmers, Gambacorta highlighted the investment’s potential to complete the coffee value chain.

She underscored Italy’s commitment to fostering stronger linkages between farmers, cooperatives, traders, and international buyers to ensure Kenyan coffee maintains its premium status globally.

Valeria Buoninfante, Acting Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Nairobi, pointed out that Arabika has played a pivotal role in management training, product traceability, and brand development.

The initiative has led to the creation of seven new Kenyan coffee brands while modernising coffee processing infrastructure. Seven coffee laboratories have been renovated, and seven eco-friendly pulpers introduced alongside extensive farmer and cooperative training.

With 21 producer cooperatives representing over 30,000 smallholder farmers, Arabika has improved market access, enhanced income resilience, and promoted greater inclusion of women and youth in the coffee sector.