Kenya: Coffee Farmers Bet on Technological know-how

Next failure of govt guidelines to raise the coffee sector out of the abyss, farmers are now turning to engineering to grow their earnings.

From good drying to new pulping systems, farmers are keen to change the value chain with strategies that will slice prices and maximize profits.

Gachatha Espresso Farmers’ Cooperative, following getting an eco-pulping equipment, expects to conserve a 3rd of its total charge of generation every year, which amounts to Sh2 million.

“The eco-pulper will assistance us develop enhanced grades of coffee that are split. The a single we were employing provides beans that have been cut… This signifies farmers will generate much more,” reported Mr Peter Mathenge, the cooperative’s chairman. The eco-pulper obtained by funding by the European Union and the Espresso Administration Expert services (CMS), its coffee marketing agent.

Mr Mathenge stated farmers will now gain far more than the Sh100 for every kilo of espresso. “The technological innovation will preserve on drinking water and energy, and lead to improved earnings for our farmers,” he stated.

CMS Handling Director Kamau Kuria claimed though the outdated pulping method employed 20 litres of drinking water to approach a kilo of coffee, the eco-pulper will use two litres.

“This is a activity-changer in the coffee field as it will conserve a great deal for the farmers as it has a ability of processing 5 tonnes of coffee within an hour. It also needs reduced manpower,” he claimed. “We are also hopeful that espresso will receive farmers far more funds this calendar year in comparison to the previous year thanks to favourable weather conditions that spurs fantastic flowering and ripening of coffee,” reported Mr Kamau.

At the New Gikaru Cooperative Society in Mukurwe-ini, farmers are established to appreciate early market place accessibility right after adopting a greenhouse solar system to dry their coffee. Though it can take at the very least 16 times to dry the beans in beds beneath the sun, the photo voltaic drying process requires six to eight days.

“We want to change the way we approach coffee working with technologies in a bid to reduce price tag, strengthen good quality and assure that farmers are reaping highest benefit from this,” stated Mr John Githinji, chairman of the cooperative.

The engineering means that farmers will no lengthier buy Nylex, a yellow polythene that is applied to cover the coffee on the drying tables, and shade nets that maintain the coffee to dry.

“We have managed to install the greenhouse photo voltaic units in two of our factories and count on to broaden to the other two factories when cash are available,” famous Mr Githinji. The venture has been funded through a partnership with Fairtrade Africa that seeks to have 23 coffee cooperatives undertake the technology. The counties established to gain from this venture incorporate Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang’a, Machakos, Kirinyaga, Embu, Nandi and Kericho.

According to Mr Githinji, thanks to the procedure, the cooperative shipped its 1st batch of coffee to marketers previously than standard.