Kenya targets coffee production growth to 150,000 metric tonnes in three years 

KENYA – Kenya has announced ambitious plans to raise coffee production from 50,000 metric tonnes to 70,000 metric tonnes within the current financial year, with the goal of more than doubling volumes to 150,000 metric tonnes in the next three years. 

Principal Secretary for Cooperatives, Patrick Kilemi, said the government is spearheading a campaign to reintroduce coffee farming in non-traditional regions such as Western Kenya, Nyanza, Rift Valley, and Eastern, while strengthening production in established coffee-growing areas.  

He noted that the initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with 33 county governments identified as suitable for coffee cultivation, in line with directives from President William Ruto. 

“The government is exploring areas where coffee can grow well and recruit more farmers to start to plant coffee,” Kilemi said during this year’s International Coffee Day celebrations in Nairobi. 

Kilemi emphasized that reforms in governance are central to the revival of the coffee sector. He stated that once the Cooperative Bill currently before the Senate is enacted, fresh elections will be held to ensure farmers benefit more directly from their produce. 

He further cautioned cooperative officials against incurring unnecessary loans that burden farmers with debts yielding no benefit. 

Highlighting the importance of the crop, Kilemi said coffee remains one of the country’s most vital value chains, supporting millions of households across the 33 coffee-growing counties.  

He reflected on the crop’s history, noting that in the 1970s through the 1990s, annual production reached 150,000 metric tonnes before declining sharply to 30,000 tonnes due to challenges in value transmission to farmers. 

The government has already rolled out several initiatives to support the sector. Last financial year, it allocated 500 million shillings to fund a seedling program under the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU).  

In addition, 55 stakeholder meetings have been held nationwide to expand coffee-growing territories and promote farmer participation. 

Further reforms include restructuring the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, where a direct settlement system now connects buyers with producers, ensuring more transparent transactions.  

Under the Coffee Regulations of 2019, farmers are guaranteed at least 80 percent of the value of their produce from sales at the Exchange, while cooperatives and other stakeholders receive their fair share. 

Kilemi also highlighted the government’s commitment to the Cherry Fund, designed to provide farmers with financial advances during times of economic difficulty. 

He reiterated that these measures collectively aim to restore the country’s coffee sector, and enhance farmer incomes.

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