Coffee production in Kenya

Last updated

Coffee production is a significant contributor to the economy of Kenya. [1] The industry is noted for its cooperative system of production, processing, milling, marketing, and auction system. About 70% of Kenyan coffee is produced in small farms that control about 75% of the land under production. [2] [3] It was estimated in 2012 that there were about 150,000 coffee farmers in Kenya. [4] Other sources suggest that 6 million Kenyans are employed directly or indirectly in the coffee industry. [5]

Contents

The acidic soil in the highlands of central Kenya together with just the right amount of sunlight and rainfall provide excellent conditions for growing coffee plants. However, due to a property boom in areas that grow coffee and price instability, [6] [4] production in this African Great Lakes country fell from about 130,000 tonnes in 1987/8 to 40,000 tonnes in 2011/12. [7]

Kenya largely produces Arabica blend coffee. [8] Coffee from Kenya is of the 'Colombia mild' type, and is well known for its intense flavor, full body, and pleasant aroma with notes of cocoa, high grade coffee from Kenya is one of the most sought-after coffees in the world. [4]

History

A coffee plantations in Kenya in 1936. Coffee Plantation, Kenya from Matson Collection, 1936 (LOC).jpg
A coffee plantations in Kenya in 1936.
A coffee planter is shown how to prune by an Agricultural Department Instructor in 1955 Photo A coffee planter is shown how to prune by an Agricultural Department Instructor 1955 - Touring Club Italiano 1.2757.jpg
A coffee planter is shown how to prune by an Agricultural Department Instructor in 1955

Despite its proximity to Ethiopia (widely believed to be the region from which coffee originated), one source states that coffee was not cultivated in Kenya until 1893, when French Holy Ghost Fathers introduced coffee trees from Reunion Island. The mission farms near Nairobi were used as the nucleus around which Kenyan coffee growing developed. [9] Another reference claims the British introduced coffee growing about 1900. [10] In 1933 the Coffee Act was passed, establishing the Kenyan Coffee Board which moved the sale of coffee back to Kenya. [11] In the early 1950s, an agricultural act was passed to create family holdings that combined subsistence farming with the production of cash crops for additional income. This act was known as the Swynnerton Plan. [11]

Economic impact

Coffee is a key forex earner for the country. [12] Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicates that coffee production in recent years has ranged from 34,500 to 51,900 tonnes. [12]

In the 2022-2023 coffee year, $127.8 million worth of coffee was sold through the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. This marked a 43.8% decrease from the 2021-2022 coffee year when $227.3 million was exchanged. This was largely caused by a drop in the price of coffee in the New York Intercontinental Commodity Exchange. [13] These prices began a rebound in 2024. [12]

Major coffee production areas

The major coffee-growing regions in Kenya are the high plateaus around Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Range, Kisii, Nyanza, Bungoma, Nakuru, [9] Kericho, Nandi, Mt. Elgon and to a smaller scale in Machakos and Taita hills in Eastern and coast provinces respectively. [14] [15]

Notable coffee estates, cooperatives and factories

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair trade</span> Sustainable and equitable trade

Fair trade is a term for an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and environmental standards. The movement focuses in particular on commodities, or products that are typically exported from developing countries to developed countries but are also used in domestic markets, most notably for handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, wine, sugar, fruit, flowers and gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyeri</span> City in Nyeri County, Kenya

Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County and was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province. The town is situated about 150 km north of Kenya's capital Nairobi, in the country's densely populated and fertile Central Highlands. The town lies between the eastern base of the Aberdare (Nyandarua) Range, which forms part of the eastern end of the Great Rift Valley, and the western slopes of Mount Kenya.

The Solidaridad Network is an international civil society organisation founded in 1969. Its main objective is facilitating the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound and profitable supply chains. It operates through eight regional expertise centers in over 50 countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agricultural cooperative</span> Autonomous association of farmers and food producers

An agricultural cooperative, also known as a farmers' co-op, is a producer cooperative in which farmers pool their resources in certain areas of activities.

Mûkûrwe'inî was a former district in Nyeri County, Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirinyaga County</span> County of Kenya

Kirinyaga County is a county in the former Central Province of Kenya, located south of Mount Kenya. Its capital is Kutus and its largest town is Wanguru. In 2019, the county had a population of 610,411 people and has an area of 1,478.1 km2. The county is bordered to the east and south by Embu County, to the south by a tiny part of Machakos County, to the southwest by Murang'a County and to the northwest by Nyeri County.

Kerugoya is the largest town in Kirinyaga County, located 10 kilometres east of Karatina and 40 kilometres west of Embu. It is situated in the former Kirinyaga district. Travel directions by road from Nairobi is through Thika Road past Thika, Kenol and Makuyu. The road leads through Makutano until Sagana town, where a road branches off the East towards Kagio town up to Kirinyaga University branching North towards the town.

Uganda's favorable soil conditions and climate have contributed to the country's agricultural success. Most areas of Uganda have usually received plenty of rain. In some years, small areas of the southeast and southwest have averaged more than 150 millimeters per month. In the north, there is often a short dry season in December and January. Temperatures vary only a few degrees above or below 20 °C but are moderated by differences in altitude.

Mathira Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of six constituencies in Nyeri County. The constituency was established for the 1963 elections. Mathira is popularly known as Mathira ya Githomo (education) due to a significant number of an educated population in the country. It sits at the foot of Mount Kenya, creating a conducive climate for growing tea and coffee. Karatina is to the east of Mathira constitution. Several tarmac roads criss-cross Mathira, including the Kenol-Marua superhighway.

Ihwagi is a settlement in Kenya's Central Province. Currently, it is a shopping center as well as one of the sub locations in Kairia Location of Kirimara Division, Mathira East District, Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County. It is on the Karatina town- Karatina University, approximately 5 kilometers from Karatina Town (CBD) and roughly 130 kilometers from Nairobi city.

Kihuyo is an informal settlement in Kenya's Central Province, located seven kilometers from Nyeri town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in Ethiopia</span> Aspect of agriculture

Coffee production in Ethiopia is a longstanding tradition which dates back dozens of centuries. Ethiopia is where Coffea arabica, the coffee plant, originates. The plant is now grown in various parts of the world; Ethiopia itself accounts for around 17% of the global coffee market. Coffee is important to the economy of Ethiopia; around 30-35% of foreign income comes from coffee, with an estimated 15 million of the population relying on some aspect of coffee production for their livelihood. In 2013, coffee exports brought in $300 million, equivalent to 24% of that year's total exports.

Mzee Herman Kingori Maingi had a diversified career with strong bias towards the Cooperative movement and the Agricultural sector.

Kingdom Bank Limited (Kenya), formerly Jamii Bora Bank, is a commercial bank in Kenya. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by the Central Bank of Kenya, the national banking regulator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in Tanzania</span>

Coffee production in Tanzania is a significant aspect of its economy as it is Tanzania's largest export crop. Tanzanian coffee production averages between 30,000 and 40,000 metric tons annually of which approximately 70% is Arabica and 30% is Robusta.

The cooperative movement in India plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector, banking and housing. The history of cooperatives in India is more than a hundred years old. Cooperatives developed very rapidly after Indian independence. According to an estimate, more than half a million cooperative societies are active in the country. Many cooperative societies, particularly in rural areas, increase political participation and are used as a stepping stone by aspiring politicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sub-Counties of Kenya</span>

Sub-counties, formerly known as Districts, are the decentralised units through which government of Kenya provides functions and services. At national level, sub-counties take a more administrative function like security, statistical purposes, provision of government services, etc. Even though the sub-counties are divisions of counties, powers to create new national sub-counties lies with the national government. As of 2023, there are 314 sub-counties, compared to 290 constituencies. A deputy county commissioner is appointed by the state to lead each sub-county. The sub-counties are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee production in Uganda</span>

Coffee is Uganda's top-earning export crop. In 1989 Uganda's coffee production capacity exceeded its quota of 2.3 million bags, but export volumes were still diminished by economic and security problems, and large amounts of coffee beans were still being smuggled out of Uganda for sale in neighbouring countries. Uganda is one of the few countries in the world with indigenous coffee, with Robusta coffee growing wild around Lake Victoria.

Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings (KTDA) is a Kenyan company that provides comprehensive services to more than 600,000 small tea farmers such as agri-extension, transportation, processing, and marketing.

The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) is Kenya's central marketplace for the trading of coffee produced in Kenya. It is located in the country's capital and largest city, Nairobi. The exchange plays a key role in determining coffee prices in Kenya, which are set through an auction system.

References

  1. "Home | New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union PLC (NKPCU)". www.newkpcuplc.go.ke. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
  2. "A bright future for Kenyan coffee". Solidaridad Network. 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  3. "Coffee Sustainability: Kenya's Looming Crisis Amidst the Soaring Cost of Production". Solidaridad Network. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  4. 1 2 3 Howden, Daniel (9 February 2012) Kenya's coffee wars The Independent, Retrieved 27 August 2013
  5. "A bright future for Kenyan coffee". Solidaridad Network. 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
  6. "Kirinyaga: Coffee farmers block roads to protest against poor pay". Citizen Digital. 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
  7. K'Oroth, Sylvester (3 July 2013) Policy failure and inadequate technical capacity hurting Kenya’s coffee industry The Business Daily, Retrieved 27 August 2013
  8. "Kenya's coffee exports earnings fall on low global prices-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  9. 1 2 Kennedy, Patrick (June 2005)Royal News June 2005 - Kenya Coffee Archived 2006-05-08 at the Wayback Machine Sweet Marias, Retrieved 28 August 2013
  10. Davids, Kenneth (2001) Coffees from Africa and Arabia: Kenya Coffee Review, Retrieved 27 August 2013
  11. 1 2 Hoffmann, James (2018). The World Atlas of Coffee 2nd Edition. Great Britain: Mitchell Beazley. p. 138. ISBN   978-1-78472-429-0.
  12. 1 2 3 "Kenya's traded coffee volumes, prices rebound on participants' return". The East African. 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  13. "Coffee earnings dipped Sh15b in 2022/23". www.pd.co.ke. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  14. Adams, Tim (17 February 2013) Andrew Rugasira: can coffee transform lives in Africa The Guardian, Retrieved 28 August 2013
  15. "Kenya: top ten coffee producer counties 2018-2019". Statista. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
  16. week, Stay up to date on the editors' picks of the (2020-09-24). "Better pay for farmers in new coffee sale deal". Business Daily. Retrieved 2025-01-08.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  17. Commodities of Empire is a British Academy Research Project, based at the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Modern and Contemporary History https://commoditiesofempire.org.uk/publications/working-papers/working-paper-8/.