The Mountain Journal
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More land in Laikipia is being prepared for coffee planting after the experts asserted that the majority of the farmers’ are interested after the soil testing.
The farmers received more than 10,000 certified coffee seedlings from the New KPCU, being a major boost designed to increase coffee production.
Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu and Finance Chief Officer Daniel Ngumi said it will be instrumental to revamp the coffee farming in Laikipia west, as a strategy to create wealth and empower the youth.
They said stakeholders in the sector would focus on increasing the land under coffee, as there are two farmers cooperative societies and six coffee estates in the county, in the last two years.
Ng’arua and Marmanet coffee co-operative societies sell their produce through the Nairobi Coffee Exchange( NCE).
The governor said the coffee revival programme targets to plant more than 500,000 coffee seedlings across the county,targeting areas in Laikipia Central and Laikipia West, focusing at improving the livelihood of the growers.
In the county, areas proposed for coffee farming are Ng’arua, Rumuruti, Tigithi, and Umande,he said, adding that Laikipia need to change to stop being a target of cattle rustlers and bandits..
“ To ensure growth of the coffee sector there are plans to establish coffee nurseries in all 15 wards, focusing on decentralising access to quality seedlings and ensuring equity in the rollout,” said Irungu, calling on farmers to shift to coffee that has better and high returns .
Ngumi, a resident of Rumuruti said hundreds of farmers with huge tracts of land are planting , thus employing hundreds of the residents in the localities.
In the coffee programme, Ngumi added, the farmers will work closely with the extension officers to ensure the project remains successful and creates an impact in the localities.
“We as leaders are happy to note that Ng’arua farmers this week sold their produce through the Nairobi coffee auction ending years of exploitation by the rogue middle men,” said Ngumi calling on other stakeholders in the sector to donate seedlings to the farmers.
In the region, the two cooperatives in the year 2023/2024 they produced 13 metric tonnes of coffee.
The New KPCU Managing Director Timothy Mirugi said in the coffee revival programme, they aim to donate more than 20 million seedlings in 33 counties, to increase the area under the crop in the country.
He said the government’s programme on Revival of Coffee through Co-operative Societies is a milestone as New KPCU delivered 10,000 certified coffee seedlings to the farmers in Laikipia.
“ The programme’s goal of increasing the country’s coffee production from 51,000 metric tonnes to over 151,000 metric tonnes, and productivity from current two kilogrammes to five kilogrammes per tree by the year 2028/29,” said Mirugi.
He added that the farmers will be trained to improve their technical skills and knowledge, while providing youth empowerment through employment activities for revenue generation. Ends
Farmers were also encouraged to take advantage of the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund which is currently the most affordable financing solution available to coffee farmers.
The seedlings, certified by the Coffee Research Institute (CRI), were accompanied by essential training. CRI Deputy Director Dr. Harrison Mugo guided county agricultural extension officers and farmers on proper planting practices to ensure maximum yield and long-term crop success. This knowledge transfer is key to strengthening local agronomy capacity.
The programme continues to deliver long-term solutions for Kenya’s coffee revival, powered by cooperatives, backed by government, and rooted in farmer success.
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