- Ngone spoke on Wednesday during a visit by a delegation of coffee farmers and researchers from Colombia
- The researchers, under the auspices of Colombia National Federation of Coffee Growers, visited Coffee Research Institute in Kiambu
Image: JOHN KAMAU
Coffee farmers have renewed hope for increased productions and earnings following government's partnership with Colombia and reforms in the sector.
National Coffee Corporate of Kenya chairman Francis Ngone said reforms being spearheaded by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will benefit farmers and increase country's foreign income.
He said the war against cartels in the sector is almost bearing fruits.
Ngone spoke on Wednesday during a visit by a delegation of coffee farmers and researchers from Colombia.
The researchers, under the auspices of Colombia National Federation of Coffee Growers, visited Coffee Research Institute in Kiambu.
The tour is a follow-up of DP Gachagua's visit to Colombia in September last year.
During the visit, he pushed for advanced cooperation between the two nations to realise improved yields and income for coffee farmers.
The team held peer-to-peer sessions with farmers on growing bushes with increased yields, crop fertilisation, harvesting, milling and marketing.
They also toured the institution's coffee farm and orchard.
Ngone said the exchange programme will benefit farmers with expertise on better farming practices and open up more markets.
"We are working on strengthening marketing strategies for our coffee in the ongoing reforms," he said.
Kiambu Brokerage Company chairman David Njoroge said farmers are hopeful that upon full implementation of the reforms, the Sh80 minimum returns per kilogramme of coffee, will increase to about Sh150.
He urged the government to consider licensing private millers to improve prices.
Njoroge called for strengthening of the Coffee Board of Kenya structures to improve branding and marketing.
CRI Director Dr Elijah Gichuru said the partnership with Colombian researchers will facilitate introduction of new coffee varieties and fight pests and diseases.
It will also introduce technology to promote coffee farming amid climate change.
Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Cabinet Secretary Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui and Colombian Ambassador to Kenya Pedro Leon Ruib said the discussions will boost the two nations' ties.
He said the government is focused on empowering smallholder coffee farmers since the crop plays a key role in enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kenya.
Statistics from the national Coffee Directorate indicate that in the 2022/23 season, Kenya exported 47,861 tonnes of coffee with a corresponding value of Sh36.6 billion (USD 251.86 million).