University of Embu partners with Beanstitute to promote coffee farming

BY CANDLE NEWS CORRESPONDENT

UoE VC, Prof Daniel Mugendi

samples coffee prepared by experts

 from Beanstitute

The University of Embu has partnered with Beanstitute to revive the ailing coffee sector in Embu and neighbouring counties.

Beanstitute promotes a coffee consumption culture and offers coffee educations in the  countryh.

The two institutions will work closely in coffee research and provision of extension and training to farmers to build their capacity to increase coffee production and quality.

Vice Chancellor, Prof Daniel Mugendi signed the memorandum on behalf of the university while Sophie Mukua represented Beanstitute.

Prof Mugendi said the pact will seek to help farmers reap better yields and returns from their farming the way the industry was years ago.

“Together with our partners such as Beanstitute and Fair Trade Organisation, we hope to reach farmers and work with them to take coffee farming back to where it was years back as a top income earner,” he said.

He said as one of agriculture-oriented universities they were ready to work with anyone intent on improving the local agriculture-based economy.

Mukua observed that this year farmers have earned very poor prices, which have left many demoralised and uncertain about the industry’s future prospects.

MoU signing

She said due to bad governance and land fragmentation, coffee production has fallen from around 100,000 metric tonnes in the late 1990s to about 40,000 metric tonnes currently.

 “The university has the capacity to do research and establish the cause of reducing yield and poor quality produce. We plan to work together to redress the situation. We will also show young people the opportunities available in the coffee sub-sector,” said Mukua.

From last season’s coffee, farmers in Embu earned lows of between Sh42 to Sh85 per kilogram.  Last year’s coffee prices were the worst in decades where a bag of grade AA coffee sold at $90, according to a cooperative official.

coffee tasting

Statistics from the cooperative sector show that coffee production in the county last year was just 11 million, a tumble from the production of 15 million kgs in the year 2014 when farmers earned an average of Sh100 per kilogram of coffee.

The MoU signing attracted coffee farmers and other industry stakeholders who made a case for adoption of deliberate efforts to attract young people to coffee farming.

They observed that majority of coffee farmers are aged people. However, they noted that the few youth who have access to land also venture into coffee farming.

Farmers called on the university to specifically help them in conducting soil analysis, canopy management and disease and pest control among other areas.

They further urged the government to subsidise inputs such as spray chemicals and fertilisers, noting that the inputs are currently expensive adding heavily to production expenses.