Mutheka Farmers Cooperative Society

The story

The cooperative was established in 2004 after separating from the Giant Tetu Coffee Growers Cooperative Society. It currently manages a network of factories and represents thousands of smallholder farmers who typically intercrop coffee with food staples.

Challenges

Farmers face economic pressures from coffee price fluctuations and the long wait times for payment, which occur only twice a year. To mitigate these issues, there is an ongoing focus on income diversification and training to reduce post-harvest losses.

Innovations

The cooperative utilizes meticulous cherry sorting processes and has implemented infrastructure such as the use of hydroelectric power from the Kagumo River at the Kigwandi factory to support operations.