Stakeholders Rally at Machakos University to Revive Kenya’s Coffee Industry

Machakos University yesterday hosted the Coffee Revival Programme at the Machakos University Hotel and Conference Centre, bringing together key stakeholders from across the country to deliberate on the challenges facing Kenya’s coffee industry and explore strategies for its revival and global competitiveness.

The high-level engagement began with a courtesy call to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office by the Chief Guest, Senator Njeru Ndwiga, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Livestock Committee, who represented the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Hon. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya.

The programme brought together County Commissioners and coffee cooperative officials from different regions of the country, creating a platform for stakeholders to openly deliberate on the challenges facing the coffee sector and identify practical solutions for its growth and transformation, with discussions focusing on strengthening coffee production, addressing challenges affecting farmers and cooperatives, increasing local consumption, and enhancing Kenya’s competitiveness in the international coffee market. Machakos University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joyce J. Agalo, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to supporting the national coffee revival agenda through strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs, noting that the University is ready to leverage its expertise in training, research, innovation, and value addition while fostering collaboration among universities, government, farmers, cooperatives, and industry players to unlock the full potential of Kenya’s coffee value chain.

Through research and training, the University seeks to support increased coffee production while promoting the consumption of locally produced coffee and advancing value addition processes that can create greater economic opportunities for farmers and other players across the sector. The Coffee Revival Programme comes at a time when renewed efforts are being directed towards revitalising Kenya’s coffee industry. The engagement at Machakos University provided a vital platform for stakeholders to share experiences, address pressing challenges, and chart a collaborative path towards a stronger, more competitive, and sustainable coffee sector.

As the discussions continue to brew new ideas and partnerships, Machakos University remains ready to play its part in driving innovation, knowledge creation, and skills development in support of Kenya’s coffee revival.