The Nandi county government has unveiled bold reforms in the coffee sector, aimed at protecting farmers from exploitation, restoring order in the value chain and positioning local coffee as a premium global brand.
The County Executive for Agriculture and Cooperative Development, Dr. Kiplimo Arap Lagat announced nine directives touching on marketing, licensing, cooperative governance and compliance with international standards.
Among the key measures is the outlawing of all cherry trading outside licensed cooperatives and estates, terming the practice a form of theft that denies farmers their rightful earnings.
Enforcement will be spearheaded by County Coffee Inspectors in collaboration with the National Police Service and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) officers.
The County has also moved to enforce the Nandi Coffee Nursery Management and Licensing Guidelines (2025) to eliminate fake seedlings, directing farmers to source planting materials exclusively from licensed nurseries and cooperatives.
Dr. Lagat said the measures are meant to protect farmer incomes, strengthen cooperative governance, curb cherry theft, and ensure Nandi Coffee achieves global competitiveness.
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Other reforms include operationalising the Nandi Coffee Mill (NCM) in Tinderet, establishing SACCOs in all 30 wards to improve access to credit, ensuring compliance with the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) and launching a Geographical Indication (GI) Roadmap to brand and protect Nandi Coffee as a premium global product.
To enhance transparency, the County will also publish and regularly update a list of all licensed and compliant entities in the sector.
Local farmers have welcomed the reforms, saying this marks a turning point for the troubled sector.
“For years, cherry hawking has robbed us of our hard work. Traders buy our cherries cheaply at night and resell at a profit, while we remain broke. This crackdown is long overdue,” said David Kiptoo, a farmer from Mosoriot.
On her part, Esther Chebet, a farmer from Aldai, praised the new nursery rules, adding, “We have been duped with fake seedlings, leading to low yields. Certified nurseries will give us quality plants and better produce.”
Others said the global branding efforts could transform livelihoods.
“If Nandi coffee is branded and protected internationally, we can finally earn what our product is truly worth,” said Josephat Ngetich, a cooperative member in Tinderet.
By Juma Ndigo
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