Kericho County is rapidly establishing itself as a key coffee-producing hub, driven by hundreds of farmers in Kipkelion East’s Masambworik area who are turning to coffee cultivation.
The shift comes as many farmers abandon maize farming and other traditional cash crops. Over the years, these crops have seen declining returns driven by rising production costs, unpredictable weather, and unstable market prices.
During a coffee seedling distribution in Masambworik, Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot stated that the constituency is ramping up efforts to promote coffee farming as an alternative income source for residents.
Cherorot disclosed that more than 20,000 coffee seedlings had been distributed free of charge to 3,000 local farmers.
“We want our people to move from substinence farming to commercial agriculture. Coffee farming has proved to be profitable in many regions and we believe it can transform the economy of our people,”
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot
He noted that the constituency leadership was collaborating with agricultural officers to provide farmers with the training, technical support, and high-quality seedlings needed to boost yields.
“For many years Kericho has been known for tea farming, but coffee is now opening a new chapter for our farmers. We are now opening a new chapter for our farmers. We are encouraging residents to diversify and take advantage of the growing coffee market,” said the MP.
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The residents embraced the initiative, noting that the crop brings fresh hope to families facing poverty and falling agricultural income.
“I believe the proceeds from coffee farming will help me pay school fees for my children and support my family. We have struggled with maize farming because the returns are no longer reliable,” said one local farmer.
The increasing adoption of coffee farming is gradually positioning Kericho County as an emerging coffee-producing region, with agricultural experts predicting that coffee could soon become one of the county’s top income earners in the coming years.
By Frank Mugwe
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