Kahawa Na Mama: A clarion call to revitalize coffee sector to empower women  

Nandi County Woman Representative, Cynthia Muge has unveiled a transformative coffee farming initiative program aiming to revive coffee sector in the region to change the lives of thousands of women across the county.

The programme, dubbed ‘Kahawa na Mama’, intend to revitalize the region’s coffee sector while empowering rural women to become financially independent.

The ambitious grassroots programme launched shortly after the 2022 general elections is anchored on four transformative pillars: women’s economic empowerment, agricultural revival, grassroots self-reliance, and environmental sustainability.

Muge, said that the project was inspired by what she saw during her campaign tours, women working tirelessly on farms yet excluded from the financial benefits of cash crops.

“Most women do the hard labour on farms but have no control over the income. ‘Kahawa na Mama’ changes that by giving them direct ownership of coffee trees, access to training, and connections to markets,” she said during the launch of second phase in Maraba primary school in Aldai Sub County.

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In its pilot year (2023/2024), the project distributed over 150,000 certified Ruiru 11 and Batian coffee seedlings to 900 women organized into 63 self-help groups. With the second phase launched, an additional 500,000 seedlings were distributed, bringing the total to more than 650,000 seedlings and nearly 4,000 women beneficiaries across the county.

The programme has spread to the six sub-counties of Nandi Hills, Aldai, Mosop, Chesumei, Emgwen, and Tinderet which has benefited immensely. Nandi Hills leads with the highest number of participants, where over 1,000 women have received seedlings and undergone training.

The programme has seen various groups such as Mogobich Progressive, Kapng’etuny Women and Kaptis Women in Coffee not only revived abandoned coffee farms but are also earning steady incomes.

Others like Cheboite Women Empowerment Group in Aldai is now intercropping coffee with avocado for extra income; the project is no longer just a pilot, and it’s a movement.

“This time, the coffee belongs to us. Women are not just planting coffee but we are planting independence, rewriting household power dynamics, and reviving a crop once forgotten,” said Sarah Jepkurui of Chesumei’s Tulwop Ngetuny group.

The project is already bearing fruit both literally and economically. According to Muge, women from the pilot groups have started earning income from their first coffee harvests, as ome have used the money to pay school fees, invest in livestock, or save through table-banking initiatives.

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The programme have also promoted agroforestry by encouraging the intercropping of coffee with banana plants and shade trees, helping curb soil erosion and boost sustainability.

Experts estimate that a one-acre coffee block planted with 600 improved bushes can yield up to KSh 220,000 annually, nearly three times what maize farming earns on the same land.

According to the programme policy, each participating group signs a charter that mandates joint registration of coffee bushes between spouses. This move is aimed at securing women’s rights to the crop and promoting shared decision-making in rural households, an approach that is winning praise for advancing gender equity.

The programme’s success is attributed to strategic partnerships with national and county institutions. Muge’s office is working with the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the Nandi County Government, and Baraka Agricultural College.

“We didn’t just give out seedlings,” she stated “We built nurseries, trained farmers, and involved cooperatives and agronomists to ensure sustainability.” Muge said.

Despite the success, Muge said that the expected surge in coffee cherry volumes is straining the capacity of local wet mills such as Kapkiyai and Taunet. To address this, she said that she is lobbying for new pulping lines and solar driers to process the increasing harvest.

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She also revealed that efforts are underway to close the extension services gap. With only 28 ward-based agricultural officers certified in modern coffee farming, the programme is funding the training of an additional 60 officers by 2026.

Looking ahead, the Women Representative is pursuing international market opportunities for Nandi coffee.

“Talks are in progress to introduce a women-only microlot brand, “Nandi Gold,” which may debut at the 2026 World of Coffee Expo in Dubai,” she said.

As the government explores coffee sector reforms and ways to close gender gaps in agriculture, ‘Kahawa na Mama’ stands out as a promising model for national replication.

“This is not just about coffee,” said Muge. “It’s about dignity, inclusion, and giving rural women the tools to change their own lives.”

As seedlings root and canopy out, Muge bets that every steaming mug poured in future years will carry not just the aroma of Arabica but the quiet confidence of mothers who finally own the crop they nurture.

By Brian Ndigo

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