Kenya is seeking to increase coffee production, expand domestic consumption, and access new international markets to improve farmers’ earnings amid efforts to revive the country’s coffee sector.

Industry leaders and government officials highlighted that improving farm productivity, strengthening processing infrastructure, promoting value addition, and using diplomatic networks to connect producers with buyers would help Kenya capture more value from its coffee.

Speaking at the East Africa Coffee Market and Conference (EACMC) 2026 in Nairobi on Wednesday October 28, Chairman of the Coffee Group of Kenya Henry Kinyua noted that the country’s production had declined significantly from its peak of more than 138,000 metric tonnes in the 1978 season, although output had recently begun recovering.

The Chairman pointed out that Kenya was targeting production of approximately 150,000 metric tonnes, up from current levels of about 60,000 metric tonnes, through increased productivity, improved farming practices, and expansion into emerging coffee-growing counties.

“We can easily triple production by increasing the productivity of the trees that we already have,” Kinyua assured, adding that farmers could also benefit from new varieties and technical support.

Further, he observed that coffee production was expanding beyond traditional growing areas in Central Kenya, with counties including Nandi, West Pokot, Narok, Kericho, Baringo, and Kakamega emerging as contributors to the sector.

Equally, Kinyua mentioned that the Government’s Coffee Act of 2026 had provided a framework for supporting coffee research and training, which could help farmers access improved varieties adapted to changing climatic conditions.

He added that the coffee value chain offered opportunities for young people beyond farming, including roasting, barista services, training, nursery operations, processing, and exports.

Making his remarks at the Conference, Kenya Airways Chairman Kiprono Kittony called for increased investment in farm productivity, water infrastructure, agronomy, and post-harvest handling to unlock the sector’s potential.

Kittony maintained that Kenya could substantially increase its coffee output without expanding the acreage under cultivation by improving yields from existing trees.

To this regard, he cited Colombia as an example of a country that had strengthened smallholder production through shared facilities for wet and dry milling, branding, packaging, and storage.

“We need water at farm level. We need patient capital because not everybody can grow coffee when they need money every month,” implored Kittony.

Additionally, he also called for improved agricultural extension services, better farm inputs, modern processing facilities and expanded market access, noting that the cost of production remained high in traditional coffee-growing areas.

The Kenya Airways Chairman observed that Kenyan coffee commanded premium prices in some international markets but farmers did not necessarily receive a corresponding share of the final value.

In this respect, Kittony cited an experience in Taipei, Taiwan, where an espresso made from coffee sourced from Kirinyaga was reportedly selling for 22 US dollars, raising questions about how much of the premium reached farmers.

He therefore emphasized that Kenya needed to strengthen its position in the coffee value chain by improving productivity, processing, and marketing while encouraging more Kenyans to consume locally produced coffee.

Meanwhile, Edward Githaiga Chief Inspiration Officer Centre for Cultural Diplomacy and Peace, representing the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr Abraham Korir Sing’oei, disclosed that the government was pursuing coffee diplomacy to connect Kenyan producers with international buyers, investors and financing opportunities.

Githaiga reported that Kenyan embassies and diplomatic missions could serve as trade platforms by identifying credible buyers, connecting producers with roasters and distributors, and providing market intelligence.

“Coffee diplomacy is very practical. It is about using Kenya’s diplomatic networks to convert the reputation of our coffees into markets, finance, investments, and better returns for the farmers,” he illustrated.

Similarly, the Officer added that the Government was proposing an Afro Coffee Village initiative to bring international buyers, roasters, financiers, equipment manufacturers, and other industry players to Kenya and the wider African coffee belt.

“The initiative would complement participation in international trade fairs by enabling buyers to visit coffee-growing areas, assess production processes, and establish direct relationships with farmers and exporters,” he explained.

Equally, Githaiga stated that Kenya could also position itself as a regional coffee trading hub, drawing on its location and commercial links with neighbouring producing countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

He also emphasised the importance of traceability, consistent quality, and documentation in strengthening buyer confidence and ensuring that the reputation of Kenyan coffee translated into better returns at origin.

On her part, Burundi’s Ambassador to Kenya, Evelyn Hakomomenu-Nga, mentioned that her country offered investment opportunities across the coffee value chain, including production, processing, packaging, exports, and value addition.

She invited Kenyan and international investors to explore partnerships in Burundi’s coffee sector, noting that regional integration presented opportunities for expanded trade and access to consumers.

Meanwhile, the three-day EACMC 2026, being held at the Visa Oshwal Centre in Nairobi from October 28 to 30, brings together industry players to discuss coffee reforms, market access, investment, regional trade, and value addition under the theme ‘From Farm to Flavor: Quality, Compliance and Market Growth’.

The conference features coffee exhibitions, live cupping sessions, buyer-producer engagements and activities showcasing East African coffee to regional and international markets.

 by Nancy Omondi