Farmers in Uasin Gishu County have started realizing positive economic impact from the County government’s distribution of over 836,000 coffee seedlings in its efforts to encourage diversification to high-value cash crops.

The County Agriculture Chief Officer Elphas Kesio said the County government was committed to supporting farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Speaking while on a sampling tour of coffee farmers who benefited from the seedlings in Tapsagoi Ward, the CO observed that coffee farming has had a positive impact on the farmers in Turbo sub-county.
He interacted with farmers who expressed their satisfaction with the coffee seedlings they had received and highlighted the economic benefits they had already started to experience.

One of the farmers, Peter Kosgei informed the CO that he received 750 free coffee seedlings that he planted on his farm through the county initiative.

Prior to receiving the seedlings, Peter said he was struggling to make ends meet as a farmer. He primarily relied on maize and dairy farming, but the returns were not sufficient to support his family. Still, with the introduction of coffee farming, he had seen a ray of hope for his family’s future.

He stated that coffee was a high-value cash crop that had the potential to generate a significant income.

 “Coffee farming has the potential to not only provide employment opportunities for the youth in the community but also contribute to the overall economic growth of Turbo sub-county,” said Saina.    
Kesio said the county government decided to distribute coffee seedlings to encourage farmers to diversify their crops and move away from relying solely on traditional cereal farming and dairy.

On his part, Maritim said that the County Government has provided the necessary resources, including seedlings, technical support through extension officers, and training, while the farmers have embraced the opportunity and put in the hard work to ensure their success.