We spent a week in Nairobi observing training, touring coffee farms and watching the processing of coffee cherry. It is the beginning of the harvest. Farmers are just beginning to bring cherry to the mills. During the height of the season, farmers can make daily trips to the mill. At this point, it may only be several trips per week.
Kenya has a strong reputation for high-quality, specialty coffee. Much of their coffee undergoes a washing process, that produces the high-grade arabica coffees highly prized in today's specialty market. Large coffee plantations operated in Kenya since early in the 20th century. Due to coffee prices, corruption and political struggles over the past few decades, coffee farming has fallen on hard times in Kenya. Many farmers neglected their trees or worse, pulled them out as the prices did not justify the cost.
While coffee prices have recovered from the lows of the late 90's, yields have not. The collapse of the coffee market started a downward spiral. Farmers who couldn't cover their costs went out of business. Many who grew up during those hard times saw no future in coffee. We drove through towns of abandoned shops. The agronomist I rode with told me how many moved to the city and now struggle in Nairobi to make their living. To break the cycle, farmers need to see a future of increased incomes that come from higher yields and a quality coffee that commands premium prices.
Kenya has a strong reputation for high-quality, specialty coffee. Much of their coffee undergoes a washing process, that produces the high-grade arabica coffees highly prized in today's specialty market. Large coffee plantations operated in Kenya since early in the 20th century. Due to coffee prices, corruption and political struggles over the past few decades, coffee farming has fallen on hard times in Kenya. Many farmers neglected their trees or worse, pulled them out as the prices did not justify the cost.
While coffee prices have recovered from the lows of the late 90's, yields have not. The collapse of the coffee market started a downward spiral. Farmers who couldn't cover their costs went out of business. Many who grew up during those hard times saw no future in coffee. We drove through towns of abandoned shops. The agronomist I rode with told me how many moved to the city and now struggle in Nairobi to make their living. To break the cycle, farmers need to see a future of increased incomes that come from higher yields and a quality coffee that commands premium prices.
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