Sh2 billion project to increase coffee yield five-fold

A woman sorts coffee berries at Kiandu coffee factory in Nyeri county before pouring it on a pulping machine. Photo/FILE 

By NATION CORRESPONDENT

 

A new Sh2.3 billion coffee project targets to raise production five-fold in five years.

With joint funding from the Dutch government and Ecom Coffee, an international coffee processor, the project targets farmers in Kenya and other East African countries.

It will be implemented by the Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers and will cover about 2.4 million smallholder farmers across the country.

Mr George Nyamu, the project’s coordinator, said smallholder farmers are emerging as key in coffee production chain following the conversion of large tracts of land to real estate by big producers.

“We want to create viable smallholder coffee farms in East Africa to offer long-term livelihood for 2.4 million smallholders,” Mr Nyamu noted.

He added that the target is to raise the country’s production levels to as much as 250,000 tonnes from less than 50,000 tonnes currently.

“Smallholders will continue to dominate supply, as large estates are being turned into urban developments,” Mr Nyamu said.

This comes as the International Finance Corporation on Tuesday announced it will transform a million smallholder farmers in Kenya and other sub-Sahara African countries into small businesses.