DPPS
A delegation of coffee farmers and researchers from Colombia, representing the Colombia National Federation of Coffee Growers, visited Nyeri County on Tuesday for a comprehensive five-day exploration of the Kenyan coffee industry.
The group toured local coffee farms, including the Gikanda Farmers Cooperative Society and the Gichatha-ini coffee factory, engaging with over 200 local growers from various regions across the country to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration.
The tour follows Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s visit to Colombia last September, aiming to enhance cooperation between the two nations for improved yields and income for Kenyan coffee farmers. Colombia, renowned as one of the world’s largest coffee producers, brings valuable insights to the table.
During Tuesday’s session, the delegation engaged in peer-to-peer discussions with Kenyan coffee farmers, focusing on cultivating high-yield bushes, effective fertilization methods, optimized harvesting and milling techniques, and strategic marketing approaches.
Stephen Wabwire, a coffee farmer from Trans Nzoia county, expressed appreciation for the opportunity, stating, “We are delighted to exchange ideas with foreign farmers on coffee farming best practices. Learning about optimal spacing of one square meter, as opposed to our current practice of three square meters, and identifying tree varieties to enhance yields has been enlightening.”
Similarly, Samuel Ruiru Macharia from Nyeri highlighted the significance of government reforms, expressing hope for tangible improvements in farmers’ livelihoods: “We appreciate the government’s efforts towards reform. Our anticipation is to see tangible improvements in our income.”
Earlier, the delegation embarked on a comprehensive tour of the New Kenya Planters Coffee Union, Dandora Branch Nairobi, where they received insights into milling processes, coffee cupping, and cataloguing.
Their itinerary also includes visits to the Coffee Research Institute and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO).
Organized under the ‘Kenya-Colombia Technical Cooperation on Coffee Value Chain,’ the visit is spearheaded by the Office of the Deputy President.
Carlos Armando Uribe, Director of Asuntos Gremiales company in Colombia, highlighted increasing the number of trees per hectare as a key strategy to boost coffee production in Kenya. He stressed the importance of farmer diligence to maintain optimal harvest quality and emphasized the need for government support and transparency. Additionally, he advised exploring new markets such as China, India, and the UAE.
Uribe emphasized the importance of growers’ participation in shaping the sector through public elections and fostering coffee democracy, stressing unity and mutual growth between the two nations.
Natalia Una Valencia, head of the Colombian delegation, underscored the trip’s objective of enhancing Kenyan farmers’ coffee production and international market sales.
Welcoming the delegation, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, Simon Chelugui, and Colombian Ambassador to Kenya, Pedro Leon Rui, expressed optimism about the discussions’ potential to strengthen bilateral ties.
Chelugui outlined the government’s commitment to empowering smallholder coffee farmers, citing the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) aimed at increasing coffee production to 200,000 metric tons by 2027. He highlighted the historical significance of coffee to Kenya’s economy and reiterated the government’s focus on supporting smallholder farmers organized into cooperatives.
Ambassador Leon Rui emphasized the importance of the visit in solidifying Kenya-Colombia relations, citing previous high-level engagements between the two countries. He highlighted the shared potential for collaboration and mutual learning in the coffee sector.
Wanjiku Wakogi, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Deputy President, hailed the talks as a significant step towards leveraging Kenya-Colombia cooperation for the benefit of their respective coffee industries. She emphasized the strategic partnership’s role in advancing Kenya’s economic development through the coffee sub-sector.
