By Enock Kipturgut
Tugen Hills Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society is the winner of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Coffee Directorate Growers Excellence Recognition Award 2018 Baringo Central Chapter.
Addressing coffee farmers drawn from Baringo Central Sub County at Tugen Hills Coffee Factory at Katimok Forest, National Director for Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Coffee Directorate Growers Isabella Ngonge said the awards were meant motivate the best performing and encourage the upcoming Coffee Farmers Societies to embrace coffee farming.
Ngonge said that Tugen Hills Co-operative Society won the coveted award due to its prudent financial Management, Governance, Quality Coffee Processing and best coffee farming practices.
“Over five million Kenyans depend on coffee farming for their livelihood,” she reiterated.
The second and third positions were Tiriony and Talai Coffee Farmers Co-operative Societies respectively.
Tugen Hills were rewarded with a motor cycle and a trophy.
Baringo County Director of Agriculture Kibet Maina said the County Government is empowering coffee farmers through provision of coffee seedlings.
He said the County Government of Baringo has distributed one hundred coffee seedlings to farmers across the county in order to sensitise them on the need to embrace coffee farming.
The Society’s acting Chairman Mark Yatich thanked the directorate for the coveted award.
He said the society continues to embrace coffee best farming techniques for the production of quality coffee in the county.
“We urge the County Government to sensitise farmers on the need to embrace coffee farming as it fetches high returns”, noted the Chairman.
