Over 2,500 coffee farmers in Busia County have benefitted from more 400,000 robusta coffee seedlings, a major boost aimed at reviving Kenya’s once-thriving coffee sector.

Speaking at a sensitization meeting on coffee production held at the Agricultural Training College (ATC) in Busia, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, emphasized the need to reclaim Kenya’s historic position as Africa’s leading coffee producer.

“At independence, Kenya was the continent’s top producer of coffee. But over time, we have fallen to fifth place behind Eythiopia, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire and Tanzania. We must ask ourselves where the rains began beating us,” said the CS

Oparanya noted that Ethiopia leads with 400,000 metric tonnes of coffee annually, followed by Uganda with 200,000, Ivory Coast (106,000), Tanzania (70,000), while Kenya lags at 51,000 metric tonnes.

To reverse this trend, he highlighted government-led interventions spearheaded by President William Ruto to enhance coffee production.

He acknowledged challenges such as unclear cooperative policies, exploitation by middlemen, and inadequate extension services.

However, he assured farmers that new laws and the pending Coffee Bill in Parliament will address these issues to ensure fair earnings for growers.

Farmers were also encouraged to join cooperative societies to access the Cherry Fund, benefit from marketing services through the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU), and receive direct payments from the Coffee Auction Center.

The event was graced by top county leadership, including Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera representing Governor Dr. Paul Nyongesa Otuoma, County Commissioner Mwachaunga Chaunga, Members of Parliament Geoffrey Mulanya (Nambale), Raphael Wanjala (Budalang’i), Benard Shinali (Ikolomani), and John Waluke (Sirisia), the chairperson of the Western Caucus.

Local leaders called on the government to establish a coffee research institute and a milling plant in Busia to further boost production.

Deputy Governor Odera revealed that the county has identified four parcels of land totaling 100 hectares, ready to host the research institute, pending funding from the national government.