State mulls plans to revive struggling coffee sub-sector
By Evans Nyakundi, July 31, 2025Plans are underway to revive the struggling coffee subsector in Western Kenya, with the National and County Governments laying ambitious plans to increase the acreage of the crop.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU) and the County Governments in South Nyanza, Western and South of the Rift Valley, are currently doing a rapid farmer recruitment exercise that is aimed at listing as many of them as possible in the production of coffee as possible.
The recruitment program is ongoing in all counties, with training and sensitisation campaigns preceding the move by the players to offer them free seedlings of the beverage crop.
The farmers will also access Government extension services in order to strengthen their knowledge in crop establishment, production management and marketing.
Until a few decades ago, coffee production in the counties that are south of the Rift was high, but drastically dropped due to mismanagement by cooperative societies as well as poor crop husbandry, according to Nyamira Trade Executive Bernard Maina.
However, production of the crop is still going on, but in low volumes. Maina said the lack of proper knowledge on the management of the existing few cooperative societies was a big impediment to the growth of the local farmers.
Coffee collapsed
“It’s sad that most cooperatives of coffee farmers collapsed due to poor management by those appointed to lead. But up to date, coffee remains the most profitable cash crop that can be grown in this region, and the county Government will do all that it can to ensure the sector is run Well and farmers earn their dues for their livelihoods to change for the better,” Maina said.
In Nyamira County, the training and sensitisation of growers as well as listing of new farmers kicked off in all five sub-counties on July 30, 2025, by first preparing crop officers as well as agricultural extension workers to undertake the process.
Agriculture Executive Peris Mong’are said the county government will enrol farmers who will receive a minimum of 400,000 coffee seedlings, which the growers will be helped to establish and manage.
“Our key intention is to triple the acreage of the crop in the county and other areas. Farmers will be listed against the number of coffee trees they would want to establish in their farms, and we are anticipating cultivation of at least 400,000 crops by April 2026.”
In a trimming reality, Dr Mong’are said coffee production in the county was still low, mainly because crop husbandry practices were very minimal. According to the Executive, average coffee harvest per tree in Nyamira ranges between half a kilo to one and a half kilos in a year, a scenario she warned may accelerate the increase of poverty index in many rural areas.