NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan farmers have a reason to smile after the new Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU) unveiled its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
The Launch of the Strategic Plans 2023 -2027, which focuses on revitalising its milling, warehousing, and marketing quality Kenyan coffee operations, took place at the Utalii Hotel Library Grounds, Nairobi.
The government actively supports this restructuring to enhance the cooperative’s efficiency and effectiveness in the coffee sector.
Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development 2023-2027 strategically aligns itself with critical areas of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which focuses on enhancing the coffee value chain.
“Coffee remains one of our leading foreign exchange earners and a critical source of livelihood for many rural households across our country,” CS Oparanya said.
Why the government prioritised coffee farming
As such, CS Oparanya reiterated that the government has prioritised coffee in its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda through its agricultural and MSME Pillars.
“The government will support you to see that you plant your coffee and harvest it in large quantities, giving you good returns. We have had so many challenges, but I want to thank President William Ruto for establishing reforms in the coffee sector, which will be a game changer,” CS Oparanya said.
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He revealed that he has coffee farmers in Murang’a, Nyeri, Kisii and Meru.
“I have been engaging coffee farmers. All the challenges we have been witnessing in this sector will be a thing of the past. As a government, we will support you in addressing these challenges,” added CS Oparanya.
How New KPCU has transformed coffee farming
The CS also said he had started sensitising elected leaders on the benefits of coffee farming.
“We shall be working with them to sensitise farmers about coffee farming. Coffee farming can help our country grow its GDP,” said CS Oparanya.
New KPCU Managing Director Timothy Mirugi disclosed that since its inception, the body has been a driving force behind the transformation and sustainability of Kenya’s coffee industry.
“We have reached 415,000 farmers and disbursed Sh 5.8 billion of Cherry Fund. The milling volumes have grown from a low of 1,108 tonnes of coffee in 2019 to 24,000 last year,” Mirugi stated.
The Coffee subsector in Kenya is vital to the country’s economy. It provides livelihood to 800,000 farmers and 5 million indirect beneficiaries and contributes significantly to export foreign currency exchange.
