Can Kenya Raise Coffee Production and Meet EU Rules?
Kenya produces about 51,000 metric tons of coffee a year and aims to add another 49,000 metric tons. The government has allocated 6 billion shillings, roughly US$37.62 million, for the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund and related growing activities, starting in Makueni County and then covering 37 coffee-growing regions.
The Rainforest Alliance is also working in Kenya with the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union on a regenerative agriculture landscape coffee project. The goal is Rainforest Alliance certification that meets global standards, helping local growers clear the export threshold set by the EU Deforestation Regulation. Coffee supports livelihoods for more than 5 million Kenyans along the value chain.
Kenya's annual coffee production is approximately 51,000 metric tons, and the government is pursuing a series of strategic initiatives to raise this figure by 49,000 metric tons in order to better meet international market demand and strengthen the country's economic influence. To this end, the Kenyan government recently decided to allocate 6 billion shillings (about US$37.62 million) to support the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund and production-related activities, with the funding starting in Makueni County and gradually extending to 37 coffee-growing regions including Machakos, Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Kirinyaga and Murang'a. Meanwhile, the Rainforest Alliance is also taking action in Kenya, partnering with the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union to launch a regenerative agriculture landscape coffee project, helping local coffee obtain certification that meets global standards in order to cope with the export threshold brought by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Whether this series of measures can push Kenyan coffee further forward on the international stage is worth continued attention.
At present, Kenya's annual coffee output stands at 51,000 metric tons. However, the government is planning to use a series of strategic measures to raise this figure, with the goal of increasing coffee production by another 49,000 metric tons, so as to better satisfy global coffee consumption demand while strengthening its own voice and economic strength in the international market.
Recently, a Kenyan government spokesperson stated publicly that the authorities are fully aware of the key role the coffee industry plays in the country's economic growth, and also deeply aware that coffee provides an important livelihood for more than 5 million Kenyans across the entire industry chain. Based on this understanding, the government has already taken strategic action to drive production increases.
For this reason, the Kenyan government recently made a decision to allocate 6 billion shillings (equivalent to about US$37.62 million) to support coffee cultivation. This funding will go to the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund and related production activities. The rollout of the funds will begin in Makueni County and then successively cover 37 coffee-growing regions including Machakos, Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Kirinyaga County and Murang'a County.
On the other hand, a non-governmental organization had previously begun working with some cooperatives under the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (GCFCU), with the aim of increasing coffee production and raising farmers' incomes. According to the Rainforest Alliance's Regional Director for Kenya/Tanzania, the organization has launched the Gusii Regenerative Agriculture Landscape (GURAL) coffee project to help coffee obtain certification to comply with international standards. The Rainforest Alliance is building multi-stakeholder partnerships dedicated to protecting and restoring forests and biodiversity, improving livelihoods, and advancing human rights, gender equality and social inclusion. The alliance also hopes to help tea and coffee growers adapt to and mitigate climate change through nature-based solutions and locally led action. The director also pointed out that massive global demand for coffee and tea has led to 75% deforestation, worsening the climate crisis, while more than 80% of people in rural areas still live in extreme poverty. Therefore, the alliance has set the goal of reaching 1 million farmers through this project by 2030.
Earlier, the EU introduced the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which clearly stipulates that uncertified coffee may not be sold on the EU market. For African countries such as Kenya and Tanzania, meeting the compliance requirements is especially difficult. So the helping hand extended by the Rainforest Alliance at this time is very timely. The cooperation plan will be implemented in Nyamira County and Kisii County in Kenya, aiming to raise the level of local sustainable coffee production, involving 28 affiliated coffee cooperatives under the union, 6 of which have already entered the pilot stage. The project will take coffee production to a higher level, strengthen environmental management and test soil fertility to determine the correct ratio of nutrients needed for cultivation, thereby increasing returns and benefiting farmers. The alliance advocates producing high-quality, certified coffee so that it can be sold in the European market, and increasing farmers' incomes through higher prices.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
