Under the midday sun, Richard Muthie, a farmer in Kirinyaga County, arrived at the Mutira Farmers’ Cooperative coffee mill, carrying 30 kilograms of freshly harvested red coffee berries. Muthie, who has delivered 400 kilograms this season, relies on coffee farming to support his household.
Mutira Farmers’ Cooperative Society, owned by 8,000 small-scale farmers, plays a pivotal role in coffee production in the region. Secretary Martin Kinyua explained that the cooperative processed nearly 4.88 million kilograms of coffee berries in 2023, primarily semi-processed for bulk sales at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. Only a small fraction, about 1 percent, was fully processed and sold locally.
The cooperative plans to increase fully processed coffee to at least 5 percent of its total production, aiming to reach international markets like China. The potential for higher profits has driven farmers to expand their coffee farms, which is expected to boost production further.
Victor Munene, an agronomist at the cooperative, highlighted the financial benefits of coffee farming in the region, where a 0.2-hectare farm can yield around 96,000 Kenyan shillings ($743) annually. He emphasized Kenya’s capability to produce premium specialty coffee due to its acidic soils.
Kenya’s coffee sector remains vital to its economy, with 2023 production reaching 48,648 metric tons and generating $251.86 million in exports. Farmers now hope increased processing and market diversification will bring greater rewards for their labor.