Githunguri MP Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba on Friday convened a high-level coffee stakeholders meeting in Ndumberi, Kiambu County, to address longstanding challenges facing coffee farmers and push for urgent reforms in the sector.
Joined by Kiambu Town MP Hon. Macua Waithaka, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and SME Development Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya, and Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi, the leaders engaged farmers in a candid conversation on the future of Kenya’s coffee industry.
In a bold and unified voice, farmers tabled a 10-point memorandum calling for immediate interventions to protect their livelihoods, enhance earnings, and restore the integrity of coffee cooperatives. CS Oparanya acknowledged the issues raised and affirmed the government’s commitment to reviving the sector, stating, “We must allow the spirit of cooperatives to thrive. Farmers deserve better.”
Key Demands by Farmers:
- Transparent Payments: All proceeds from coffee sales must be paid directly through factory accounts to ensure accountability.
- Prompt USD Payments: The Direct Settlement System (DSS) should pay farmers within the stipulated time in U.S. dollars, as per international trade standards.
- Cherry Advance Increase: Raise the cherry advance payment from the current KSh 40 per kilo to KSh 80 per kilo to reflect market value and cushion farmers.
- Free Fertilizer Distribution: Fertilizers should be distributed to factories for free access by farmers to reduce input costs.
- Opposition to Capital Markets Levies: Farmers strongly opposed proposed 1.8% levies on coffee brokers at the auction, warning it would reduce their earnings significantly.
- Farm Gate Value Protection: Ensure farmers receive at least 80% of the final sales proceeds.
- Youth Inclusion: Youths should be actively involved in the leadership and management of coffee societies to bring innovation and sustainability.
- Coffee Security: A special police unit should be created to tackle rampant coffee thefts threatening the sector.
- Debt Waiver Activation: Reinstate the promised KSh 6.8 billion coffee debt waiver, which remains unfulfilled.
- Fraud Investigations: Expedite investigations into fraudulent transactions within coffee societies that have seen farmers lose millions of shillings.
Hon. Wamuchomba emphasized that farmers’ voices must be at the center of all reforms, saying, “Our farmers have waited too long. Today, we’re not just listening — we are taking action. Coffee must return to being the pride of Kenya.”
The meeting concluded with a pledge from government officials to fast-track implementation of farmer-driven proposals and engage Parliament and relevant ministries for policy reforms.
The Ndumberi gathering is part of an ongoing series of grassroots forums aimed at restructuring the coffee sector, which has for decades suffered from mismanagement, low pay, and dwindling farmer morale.
#CoffeeReformNow #FarmersFirst #NdumberiCoffeeVoice
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