The poverty rate among small-scale coffee farmers in Embu County is about 40 % which is attributed to lack of society-economic support and insufficient coffee industrial infrastructure. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the poverty index among small-scale farmers rose. Kenya Good Neighbors has been working with coffee farmers in Runyenjes sub county, Embu County. In consultation with the relevant County officers, KGN collaborated with Kirurumwe farmers’ cooperative society in project implementation to support farmers to improve the quality of coffee. Kirurumwe coffee cooperative society produced over 25 % of the total coffee cherry produced by small-scale farmers in Embu County in the coffee year 2019/2020 from its 4,619 members approximately 6 % of small-scale coffee farmers in Embu County.
The KGN coffee project specifically support members of Kirurumwe FCS who deliver their coffee to Kevote factory. Kevote factory has 1881 registered members out of which 1133 are active. The sustainability and profitability of coffee for its members is threatened by worn-out coffee drying beds, and old pulping facilities which result to low-quality coffee beans. Coffee productivity among its members has been on a steady decline due to poor crop husbandry and low adoption of improved technologies. Even though the coffee is milled at Kevote factory, and delivered to the secondary miller
separately, the services of the miller are outsourced by the FCS. Additionally, most FCSs heavily rely on middlemen for marketing of their produce and customer sourcing. The negative impacts of this arrangement were further compounded by the prolonged effects of Covid 19 on trade thus heavily affecting the stability of smallholder farmers income structure.
The KGN Coffee Project aimed to improve the quality of coffee produced by Kevote farmers by strengthening organization at FCS level and increasing market competitiveness. The project’s main outcomes were reinforced Kirurumwe FCS governance and organizational management, while at Kevote factory the outcomes were improved coffee processing and quality, improved market access and feasibility verification on activities across the coffee value chain. Specific project activities were including provision of organizational management program, provision of financial trainings, support Kevote factory in acquisition of coffee drying beds, provide 50% cost of purchasing a new pulping machine, provide training on coffee farming and quality management to members of Kevote factory, facilitate marketing of their coffee, and Coffee Preparatory Research