Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has appealed to the national government to fast-track the waiver of Sh1.06 billion in debts owed by 14 coffee cooperatives in the county, saying the burden continues to weigh heavily on farmers and slow the full revival of the sector.

Speaking on Tuesday when she hosted Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, during a coffee farmers’ sensitization forum at General Kassam Grounds, Waiguru said clearing the long-standing debts would free cooperatives to invest more in production and improve returns to members.

“Debts owed by our cooperatives to financial institutions weigh heavily on our farmers, and we appeal for the fast-tracking of debt waivers, which would be a major boost to coffee farmers in Kirinyaga,” she said.

The affected cooperatives include Karithathi, Rung’eto, Thirikwa, Ngiriambu, Rwama, Kanjuu, Mirichi, Inoi, Kibirigwi, Mwirua, Mutira, New Ngariama, Baragwi and Kirinyaga Cooperative Union.

Waiguru said resolving the debt burden would complement the gains already being realized through reforms and investments that the county government has made across the coffee value chain.

Her call was backed by the crowd, who pledged support for the President’s second-term bid as a show of gratitude if the debts are waived.

Baragwi Cooperative Society Chairman, Muchiri Murage, thanked the national government for issuing farm inputs to farmers, while observing that the improved returns by coffee cooperatives were a result of Governor Waiguru’s leadership. He also appealed for the waiver of debts owed by the societies, saying the burden was still a setback to increased production.

In his response, the CS said his ministry had received Ksh. 6.8 billion in verified debt waiver requests from societies across the country, and had so far been allocated Ksh. 2 billion to settle part of the amount. He said he had taken note of Kirinyaga’s request for consideration, while at the same time urging coffee farmers to remain vigilant and ensure the debts were genuinely incurred.

The former Kakamega Governor observed that 34 counties in the country grow coffee, but said he was impressed by Governor Waiguru’s farmer-centred leadership. He noted that the coffee dialogue was important because coffee is a major foreign exchange earner, noting that the government is empowering farmers to push production to at least 150,000 metric tonnes nationally.

In Kirinyaga, Waiguru said the coffee sector is steadily regaining strength, with production rising from 28,000 metric tonnes in 2017 to 48,000 metric tonnes, while annual farmer earnings have climbed to approximately Sh7.4 billion.

She said the county has remained deliberate in supporting coffee farmers through interventions targeting production, processing, storage, marketing and value addition. “Kirinyaga coffee is our pride and a legacy crop that continues to transform livelihoods. Our goal is to ensure that farmers derive maximum value from their produce by strengthening every stage of the value chain,” she said.

Waiguru noted that Kirinyaga continues to distinguish itself as one of the world’s top producers of premium Arabica coffee, with its beans renowned for superior quality and high market value.

She cited the performance of Kii Coffee Factory under Rung’eto Farmers’ Cooperative Society, whose AA-grade coffee sold at Sh1,715 per kilo in 2023, the highest price recorded in Kenya in five years.

The governor attributed the improved fortunes to strategic county investments aimed at boosting both productivity and quality.

Among the interventions, she said, is the county’s support for affordable, high-quality coffee seedlings propagated at Kamweti Nurseries, where farmers are accessing improved planting material to rejuvenate old bushes and increase yields. “This planting season, the county produced 120,000 Ruiru 11 grafted seedlings, which were sold to farmers at Sh55 each, compared to Sh100 in private nurseries”, she noted.

Waiguru said the county is also continuously providing extension services to help farmers adopt best agronomic practices, improve pest and disease control, and strengthen post-harvest handling.

To improve processing and reduce losses, she said the county has allocated Sh36 million this financial year for the modernization of wet mills in seven coffee factories through the installation of solar-powered eco-pulping machines.

She said the shift from traditional pulping methods to eco-pulping technology will improve efficiency, lower processing costs and enhance bean quality, while support through solar dryers will ensure more consistent drying and preserve coffee integrity.

Waiguru also highlighted ongoing investments in post-harvest infrastructure, saying the county is constructing a modern Sh27 million coffee warehouse at the Kirinyaga Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union in Kimicha, which is now 90 per cent complete.

Once completed, the warehouse will have the capacity to store 40,000 bags of parchment coffee, helping address storage challenges, improve quality control and strengthen farmers’ bargaining power in the market.

She said the county has also made notable progress in coffee marketing through support for the Kirinyaga Slopes Coffee Brokerage Company, which has enabled local farmers to take greater control of the sale of their coffee.

“Since receiving its brokerage licence, the company has facilitated the sale of 298,247 bags of parchment coffee worth Sh10.5 billion, positioning Kirinyaga strongly at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange” she emphasized.

Waiguru said the county is now also looking beyond raw coffee sales and investing in value addition to unlock more income opportunities for farmers, youth and women, noting that the county has already supported Mutira and Mwirua cooperative societies with coffee roasting machines, enabling them to process and market branded coffee under Tira Coffee and Mwirua Coffee.

She noted that the products are already being sold locally, helping expand domestic consumption while opening up new enterprise opportunities around coffee.

Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament Gachoki Gitari told the CS that local residents would continue supporting the government as long as coffee payouts keep increasing. He also pointed out that farmers in the county were opposed to the proposed Direct Sale System, emphasizing that Kirinyaga’s cooperatives are well managed and capable of handling their members’ payments as has been the case.

Kirinyaga County Assembly Speaker Muteti Murimi thanked the current government for the strides it has made in revitalizing the coffee sector, while Leader of Majority Benson Ngahu urged farmers to support the government so that their debts can be waived. Karumande MCA Caroline Muriithi thanked the government for the improved coffee payouts, saying they were motivating farmers to produce more.

Coffee Revitalization Committee Member, Njeru Ndwiga, said the committee’s role is to ensure coffee production increases, and commended Governor Waiguru’s passion for coffee, saying it has helped put Kirinyaga coffee on the international map. He said the new Coffee Act will largely benefit farmers in counties with strong and grounded cooperatives such as Kirinyaga.

Kirinyaga Cooperative Union Chair, Geoffrey Kinyua, thanked Governor Waiguru for the construction of a modern and expanded warehouse that will accommodate the growing volumes of coffee, as well as for the promise of another warehouse to be allocated at the upcoming Sagana Industrial Park.