Kenya Renews Coffee Revival Drive as It Marks International Coffee Day
Cooperatives Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi (centre) addresses participants during the International Coffee Day 2025 celebrations in Nairobi.
Kenya has renewed efforts to revive its coffee sector, unveiling a raft of measures aimed at doubling production and restoring the country’s global competitiveness in the commodity.
The coffee sub-sector, once a leading foreign exchange earner for the country, has over the years suffered a steep decline in production due to aging trees, low returns to farmers, weak cooperative governance, and market distortions. This has seen Kenya’s share in the global market diminish, forcing government and stakeholders to pursue aggressive reforms to reverse the trend.
Speaking during the International Coffee Day celebrations in Nairobi on Wednesday, Cooperatives Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi said the government is targeting to raise production from the current average of 70,000 metric tonnes annually to 150,000 tonnes within three years.
“Kenya once produced over 150,000 tonnes of coffee annually. Our goal is to return to those levels by addressing challenges that have held back the sector, including poor cooperative management, lack of affordable financing and weak farmer returns,” said Kilemi.
He said the government had prioritized sector reforms, financing, and expansion of coffee-growing areas, noting that millions of improved seedlings were being distributed to rejuvenate old plantations and introduce coffee farming in non-traditional counties.
On governance, the PS said the Coffee Bill 2024 and the Cooperative Bill 2024 would overhaul management structures, enhance transparency, and empower farmers in decision-making.
Kilemi added that the government had boosted the Cherry Advance Revolving Fund to over KSh 9 billion, which has so far benefited nearly 600,000 farmers. He said the introduction of a Direct Settlement System (DSS) would ensure prompt payments and reduce exploitation by middlemen.
“This system will allow farmers to use their receivables as collateral for credit, making financing more accessible. We want farmers to benefit directly and sustainably from their hard work,” he said.
New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (New KPCU) Managing Director Timothy Mirugi said the institution was modernizing processing and strengthening traceability systems to restore trust in the value chain.
“We are also deliberately creating opportunities for women and youth in coffee farming, processing and marketing. A revived sector must be inclusive for it to be sustainable,” said Mirugi.
He further announced that International Coffee Day would be institutionalized annually to bring together farmers, buyers, government and stakeholders in celebrating quality and innovation.
Officials urged Kenyans to develop a strong domestic coffee culture, noting that local consumption remains low compared to other producing countries. “We must drink what we grow. A vibrant domestic market will cushion farmers against global price volatility,” said Kilemi.
Kenya is also diversifying export destinations with new promotional campaigns in China, India, Brazil, Korea, Russia, Germany and Italy. The strategy, officials said, is to increase market access and position Kenyan coffee as a premium, traceable product.
Mirugi said New KPCU was working with farmers to strengthen branding and value addition to ensure the coffee fetches higher earnings in both local and export markets.
Stakeholders however cautioned that the success of the revival plan would depend on timely delivery of seedlings, effective extension services, and strict enforcement of cooperative reforms. They noted that corruption, poor agronomic practices and weak farmer organization had undermined progress in the past.
For thousands of coffee farmers, the International Coffee Day celebrations offered renewed optimism that the reforms and investments would finally translate into better yields and incomes.
