Murang’a Coffee farmers call for better reforms

Murang’a,

Wednesday, September 27, 2023,

KNA by Bernard Munyao

A section of coffee farmers in Murang’a County wants the government to come up with better reforms that will see increased returns from the cash crop.

Among the reforms, the farmers demand for minimum guaranteed returns that will cushion them from the fluctuation of international coffee prices.

Airing their views to KNA, some coffee farmers from Githima village in Kigumo constituency decried that the lack of minimum guaranteed returns has left them at the mercy of depreciating Kenyan Shilling.

One of the farmers Ephantus Mwaura said the sector in the past has been affected by fluctuation of prices saying without a set minimum guaranteed returns they will continue to suffer.

 “The government ought to be willing to give us guaranteed minimum returns for the sale of our coffee,” said Mwaura.

With minimum guaranteed returns, he added, farmers despite the fluctuation of the international prices, they will be sure, after selling their coffee through cooperative societies, they will receive a specific income for the coffee delivered.

 Mwaura reflected that some years back, coffee was their main source of income saying farmers used to rely on it to meet their family expenses.

“Some decades ago, income earned from coffee enabled our parents and people in the community to educate their children to university level and some could even construct permanent houses using proceeds from coffee, unlike today where farmers are left struggling with debts emanated from poor coffee sales and mismanagement of cooperative societies,” he observed.

 A youth from Githima village, Kenneth Murega, on his part, observed that young people have shunned coffee farming since the crop does not accrue lucrative income.

 “Poor returns from coffee have discouraged some of us from venturing in the crop. The majority of youths usually have opted to do other activities to earn a living but not to invest in a cash crop which pays poorly,” He stated.

Murang’a County Woman Representative Betty Maina calls for planting of hybrid coffee varieties saying the indigenous coffee bushes have been unproductive. 

“Hybrid coffee seedlings do much better and give better returns than the old type of coffee varieties,” she said, promising to donate the seedlings to farmers to boost production hence better returns for the sale of the cash crop.

 Other residents, Mary Wacuka and Rachael Wambui, youths born and brought up in the coffee zones, lamented the long distances they walk from their farms to the coffee factories where they deliver their produce.

They also decried dilapidated roads linking the coffee factories saying most times they are forced to incur more costs to hire motorbikes to deliver the produce.

Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee in Murang’a County Assembly Caroline Njoroge on her part observed the county has many coffee farmers and a majority of them are languishing in poverty.

 “With proper reforms, it’s time to return coffee back to being a profitable crop. Farmers need support from both the national and county governments so that they can start relying on income raised from their produce,” remarked Njoroge.

Courtesy; KNA