Inside government plan to ensure coffee farmers earn at least 50% of crop sales
By Zablon Oyugi
The government of Kenya through the State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) has hatched a plan that is aimed at pushing for coffee farmers to earn not less than 50 per cent of the crop sales.
Speaking at this year’s Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Open Week and Annual Coffee Fair at the Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in Ruiru, Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture said the farmers need their rightful share if the sector has to grow.
“We need to push money to our farmers who do the bulk of the work by getting our calculations right. Let’s us not congest the value chain with many actors who end up eating into farmers’ profit. In fact, we are looking at getting 70 per cent of the crop sales into farmers’ pockets,” said Dr. Ronoh to the cheering farmers in attendance while officially opening the event on Thuesady.
The two-day fair running from 12th – 13th, February, 2026 was graced by farmers, exhibitors, researchers, industry regulators, buyers, and equipment manufacturers and distributors among others.
The PS reiterated the fact that the Kenyan coffee is highly valued in the international market attracting good prices hence the need for the same to reflect in the lives of the common growers.
“We need to make our farmers rich so that they can be proud of their sweat and effort they put in production. This way, they will be happy and motivated to do more knowing their earnings do not end in other people’s pockets,” he said.
Policy support for equipment makers
Dr. Ronoh pointed out the need for policy support for local manufacturers of coffee equipment and machines to enable the farmers purchase the tools at fair prices without incurring additional costs especially when they are imported.
“We are looking at coming up with policies that will support and give incentives to local equipment and machines makers so that they are made available to farmers at affordable prices to help them boost yields,” said the PS.
In Kenya, coffee equipment, particularly for processing, is available through specialised firms, with local makers such as Bean2Cup, Coffee House Kenya and Coffee Agriworks Limited among others focusing on processing machinery.
However, many high-end commercial espresso machines are imported, local suppliers and specialised manufacturers, such as Coffee Agriworks, provide processing solutions to support the thriving local industry.
Dr. Ronoh reveal that the country is eying 150,000 metric tonnes in the near future from the current 50,000 metric tonnes.
“With proper production tools to farmers and scaled-down advisory services to the coffee-growing counties, we can together increase yields and surpass our neighbouring countries such as Uganda and Ethiopia,” he said.
According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the Kenya coffee production per bush is currently ranging between 2 Kgs to 15 Kgs stating that coffee production has been cyclic over the last five years, with the highest being 51,852 MT in FY 2021/2022.
Financial support
The PS announced the Ksh500 million that has been allocated to propagate 10 million high-yielding, disease-resistant seedlings annually.
The plan also includes expanding research centres, strengthening cooperatives, and implementing market reforms to secure fairer returns for farmers.
The funds are expected to reach farmers through Commodity Fund and the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (NKPCU). “We encourage proper registration of farmers through their cooperatives and the issuance of e-vouchers to enable them access the funds,” said Ronoh.
Additionally, the government is planning to increase research centres one in Nairobi to support the aone already in central region, another in Kericho and Kaimosi.
The PS also assured farmers of enough fertiliser for their crops ahead of the season saying that the inputs should already be available for growers at their various cooperatives for pick up.
“We have enough coffee-specific fertilisers ready for farmers at Ksh2500 per bag of 50kg. Anyone who sell or buy it more than the price risks arrest and prosecution,” warned the PS.
Theft of coffee
Farmers present at the 20th Annual Ruiru Coffee Fair decried the increasing theft of coffee from farms and cooperatives something they say is attributed to influx of unscrupulous traders eying to reap where they did not sow.
“Sometimes we are just informed that our produce has been stolen from collection centres. This is painful especially after a long period of work,” said one of the farmers.
In response, PS Ronoh assured the growers that the precious commodity will see increased security with a special unit of police to be created and domiciled at the research organisation to help with tracking and arresting thieves.