Photo? Pauline Wanjiru displaying the roasted coffee while in the group’s coffee farm in Nyeri.
The Mountain Journal
A youth group in Nyeri is reaping returns from coffee through the value addition initiatives with a kilogramme fetching Sh2,500.
The 11 members affiliated to the Nyeri Hill Organic Herbs and Eco Fuel Enterprises (NOHEFE) reap profits after roasting and packaging coffee for sale after they were trained on the value addition.
The chairperson Pauline Wanjiru said they came together two years ago when they were replanting trees within the degraded Nyeri Hill Forest a venture facilitated by Rodi Kenya after the locality was identified best to improve the eco system.
Wanjiru said as they planted trees they learned more about herbs, and introduced them to their production for sale in the markets.
NOHEFE roasts coffee and packages the herbs for the market, she said, adding that they are seeking to expand their coffee farm in the Kihuyo area, owing to the increasing demand.
“The group produces roasted coffee, guava,soursop and stinging nettle powder for sale in various parts of Nyeri, Ruiru, Karatina, Nanyuki, Nairobi among other major towns in Kenya,” said Ms Wanjiru.
Photo/ Some of the herbs and coffee packaged by the youth group.
Samson Ngure the vice chairperson to the group said they acquired a coffee farm from a neighbour on condition they help him in attending to other coffee bushes in his farm.
“From the support of land with coffee trees we were able to kick off and now we are recognised as an outfit dealing with coffee in Nyeri county,” said Ngure.
Rodi Kenya Project’s coordinator Peter Chege says the members are trained in coffee roasting, a venture they developed interest in when they planted trees within the Nyeri Forest.
“There is a plan to open a one stop shop for the organic produce in Nyeri town, that will serve all the registered farmers,” said Chege.
Photo/ Rodi Kenya Project Coordinator Mr Peter Chege in a tour of an organic farm in Nyeri county.
At Kihuyo coffee factory in Kieni West the Manager Joseph Ndung’u attributes increased production at the factory owing to the efforts made by Rodi Kenya.
Ndung’u said in the year 2023/2024 the production was at 42,954 kgs, 2024/2025 the production was at 123,396kgs..
“This year the payment was at Sh 133 per kgs, which was impressive to the farmers compared to last year’s of Sh 107,” said Mr Ndung’u.
Ndung’u said in two years, a farmer managed to register increased coffee production from 280kgs to 1,055 kgs, and another 609 kgs to 1,620 kgs, owing to application of organic farming technology in their farms.
Bee keeping venture:
At Giathugu coffee factory in Mukurwe ini, farmers have concentrated in coffee farming and bee keeping as part of the diversification, with more than 350 beehives distributed to the farmers.
Chairman to bee keepers in Mukuwe ini Mr Joseph Gathirimu says this year they expect to distribute another 200 beehives to the members to assist in production of more honey and wax.
Joseph Gathirimu and Rodi Kenya Project’s Coordinator Peter Chege in a talk in a bee keeping farm in Giathugu area in Mukurwe ini, Nyeri.
Gathirimu said the 37 Bee Keepers are trained in their safety when harvesting honey in their farms.
“A kilogramme of natural honey trades at between Sh 800 and Sh 1,000 and the establishment of an organic shop in Nyeri will boost our business,” said Gathirimu.
He adds that the natural honey will be sold in the Nyeri based organic shop.
