LAIKIPIA, Kenya, July 12 – The government is seeking to expand coffee farming to additional regions across Kenya as part of a broader strategy to revive the once-thriving sub-sector and increase national production.
Speaking during a sensitization forum at Kinamba trading centre in Laikipia County, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Wycliffe Oparanya said the state is targeting new counties with suitable climates for coffee cultivation and has allocated over KSh 500 million for the initiative.
“This is a three-year programme not only to revive coffee production in traditional areas but also to introduce it in new regions where the crop can thrive,” said Oparanya.
He noted that the initiative is part of a larger reform effort aimed at reclaiming Kenya’s position in the global coffee market, which has declined in recent years as countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Tanzania increased output.
The funding will support the provision of seedlings to smallholder farmers and the adoption of modern farming technologies to boost yields.
The CS said that Kenya currently cannot meet growing global demand for coffee without major interventions to expand production.
Oparanya also addressed the issue of debt in the coffee sector, pledging government support in settling genuine debts that have burdened farmers and cooperatives.
He further encouraged farmers to take advantage of the Sh8 billion Coffee Cherry Fund, which offers financing to help expand coffee farming activities.
The event was attended by Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu, New Kenya Cooperative Union Managing Director Timothy Mirugi, and other local leaders.
