Meru County leaders and industry stakeholders are urging farmers to open up their land to young people in a bid to revive coffee production, which has been on a steady decline for decades. The call comes amid government-backed programmes aimed at restoring the crop’s former glory and securing its future.
Charles Mutwiri Mkarimu, a member of the Coffee Revitalisation Committee, painted a stark picture of the sector’s collapse. He recalled that Meru once produced up to 150,000 metric tonnes of coffee in the 1980s and 1990s, but current output has dwindled to about 40,000 metric tonnes. He expressed optimism that with interventions from the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, production could surpass 200,000 metric tonnes within three years.
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Mkarimu urged elderly farmers to subdivide their land and involve youth in cooperatives, where they can access free training and seedlings. He noted that planting 100 seedlings on one acre could generate as much as Sh200,000 per month, adding that government support and efforts to dismantle entrenched coffee cartels would further boost earnings.
The revival programme is being spearheaded by the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (New KPCU). Deputy Director Muge Muriki announced that more than 1.5 million seedlings will be distributed to farmers across Meru. Hundreds of young people from Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties are already undergoing training at the Coffee Research Institute, learning cultivation techniques, farm mapping, and income improvement strategies.
Muriki emphasized that 95 percent of Meru farmers are now registered with the Agricultural Food Authority (AFA), a move designed to prevent data duplication and ensure compliance. He stressed that Kenyan coffee continues to enjoy strong global demand, making youth participation critical to meeting market opportunities. The government is also providing subsidised fertilisers and inputs to reduce production costs and improve post-harvest handling.
“This initiative will revitalize abandoned farms, modernize traditional practices, and ensure farmers get maximum value for their produce,” Muriki said.
Kananu Mugambi, chairlady of the Miriga Mieru Farmers’ Factory, echoed the call for generational transition. She urged farmers to allocate land to the youth, saying their involvement would secure families’ futures. “We are grateful to New KPCU for supporting coffee farming. Embracing youth participation will secure our families’ future,” she said.
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Authorities are also tightening security around coffee factories to curb theft and reduce losses. Deputy County Commissioner Ondilia Ndeti said her office is working closely with cooperatives to raise awareness about the revitalisation programme. She highlighted that under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the government is committed to upgrading coffee bushes to meet both domestic and international demand.
Meru County Agricultural Officer Jasper Muthoni added that the programme, implemented under Governor Mutuma M’Ethingia’s administration through CECM Agriculture Janaro Gatangugi, is training farmers to plant the high-yield Ruiri 11 variety. “One acre can accommodate 1,000 seedlings, generating enough income to support livelihoods,” he said.
By John Majau
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