By Stanley Ongwae
Plans are in motion to revive the struggling coffee subsector in Western Kenya, with both the National and County Governments laying out ambitious strategies to expand the crop’s acreage and boost production.
The Ministry of Agriculture, working in collaboration with the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU) and county administrations in South Nyanza, Western, and South Rift Valley regions, has launched a rapid farmer recruitment campaign aimed at enlisting as many growers as possible into coffee farming.
This recruitment drive is currently underway across all counties, accompanied by training sessions and sensitization campaigns. ,
These efforts are designed to prepare farmers for the next phase, which includes the distribution of free coffee seedlings.
In addition to the seedlings, farmers will receive government-backed extension services to strengthen their skills in crop establishment, production management, and marketing.
Coffee farming in counties south of the Rift Valley was once a thriving enterprise, but production has dwindled over the years due to mismanagement within cooperative societies and poor crop husbandry.
Nyamira County Trade Executive Bernard Maina noted that many cooperatives collapsed under poor leadership, leaving farmers without the support they needed to sustain their livelihoods.
Despite the decline, coffee remains one of the most profitable cash crops in the region, and Maina emphasized the county government’s commitment to restoring the sector and ensuring farmers benefit economically.
In Nyamira County, the revival efforts began on Monday across all five sub-counties, with agricultural officers and extension workers undergoing training to support the rollout.
Agriculture Executive Dr. Peris Mong’are announced that the county will distribute at least 400,000 coffee seedlings to registered farmers, who will also receive guidance on how to establish and manage the crop effectively.
The county’s goal is to triple the acreage under coffee cultivation, with the target of planting all 400,000 trees by April 2026.
Dr. Mong’are expressed concern over the current low yields, attributing them to minimal crop husbandry practices.
In Nyamira, the average harvest per coffee tree ranges between half a kilogram and one and a half kilograms annually, a figure she warned could contribute to rising poverty levels in rural communities if not improved.
Similar revitalization campaigns are being carried out in other counties that have historically been coffee-growing regions.
According to KPCU, Kenya’s current coffee production stands at 51 metric tons, far below the projected 150 metric tons.
To close this gap, the renewed efforts will focus on agronomic training, input support, milling, and marketing.
Dr. Mong’are remains optimistic, stating that with proper guidance, farmers can significantly increase their yields.
“It’s unfortunate that many farmers harvest less than a kilogram per tree,” she said.
“We can and must do better.”