- Project officer says Solidaridad organisation conducted a baseline survey to identify why production has drastically gone down.
- The survey established that many farmers are unable to scoop yield due to lack of information on the recommended approaches for the quality coffee production.
Image: TONY WAFULA
Image: TONY WAFULA
Coffee farming experts and agronomists in Bungoma have attributed poor access to information pertaining coffee farming and production as a major hindrance to high yields among the coffee farmers in the region.
They say Bungoma has been known for producing quality coffee that is exported to the international markets but access to information has hampered this.
In an interview to the Star on Wednesday at Bungoma West KALRO farm during the field day for coffee farmers, Solidaridad organisation project officer Charles Okwirii said recently, coffee production in Bungoma has dropped.
He said Solidaridad conducted a baseline survey to identify why production has drastically gone down.
After conducting a survey among coffee farmers in the region, it was established that many farmers are unable to scoop yield due to lack of information on the recommended approaches for the quality coffee production.
Additionally, he said the average coffee farmer in Bungoma produces 2kgs of cherry per tree and yet that one coffee tree has a potential of producing 15- 20kgs.
“The major challenge here affecting coffee farmers in Bungoma is lack of information,” Okwirii said.
To address the gaps, Okwirii said Solidaridad has come with a programme dubbed ‘pathway to prosperity coffee Kenya’ that focuses on three pathways; production system where farmers are trained on how they can increase their productivity to put in social inclusivity and issues to do with climate smart.
He noted that the same programme is being implemented in Tanzania to increase coffee production, adding that the project will run in Bungoma for seven years. He also said the organisation links farmers to better markets.
The project is also being implemented in Kisii, Bomet, Nandi and Trans- Nzoia counties.
Mt Elgon Coffee Mill agronomist Eli Wandiema said for Bungoma to improve on the production, there is need for frequent training among the farmers.
The expert applauded Solidaridad for picking Bungoma for the project implementation saying the programme will help farmers improve on coffee production.
“The county government should deploy more extension officers so that they can move in villages to share information on coffee production,” Wandiema said.
Speaking at a funeral service in Kabuchai constituency, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said the government has allocated funds towards bettering coffee production and milling in Bungoma.
PS Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development, State Department for Cooperatives Patrick Kilemi while speaking in Bungoma early this year, said the government was determined to improve coffee production.
The PS acknowledged President William Ruto’s government for allocating Sh4 billion towards coffee cherry advance revolving funds, an improvement from former president Uhuru’s allocation of Sh2.7 billion, noting that the funds are meant to motivate farmers.
He said after coffee milling, farmers would receive Sh80 per kilo.
In 2023, Kilemi revealed that Kenya earned Sh30 billion in US dollars from 50,000 tonnes sold.
Kilemi also said the sales per year have dropped drastically due to many farmers giving up due to rampant corruption in the coffee societies and low discouraging payments.
“The production had gone high to over 150,000 tonnes per year but it has dropped because of the frustrations in most of the societies,” Kilemi said.