Nandi County Crack Down on Coffee Exploitation

Key Highlights

• Nandi County announces nine sweeping reforms to revamp the coffee sector.
• All cherry trading outside licensed cooperatives and estates banned.
• Enforcement to be carried out by Coffee Inspectors, police, and AFA.
• Farmers must source seedlings only from licensed nurseries to curb fakes.
• Nandi Coffee Mill to be operationalized, with SACCOs in all 30 wards.
• County aligning with EU deforestation rules and launching a global branding roadmap.
• Farmers welcome crackdown on hawkers, fake seedlings, and promise of premium pricing.

The Nandi County government has rolled out bold reforms in the coffee sector to shield farmers from exploitation, restore order in the value chain, and position Nandi Coffee as a premium global product.

County Executive for Agriculture and Cooperative Development, Dr. Kiplimo Arap Lagat, unveiled nine directives covering marketing, licensing, cooperative governance, and compliance with international standards.

One of the most significant measures is the ban on cherry trading outside licensed cooperatives and estates, which Dr. Lagat described as theft that robs farmers of their earnings.

The new rules will be enforced by County Coffee Inspectors working with the National Police Service and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).

To curb losses from poor planting material, the county will also enforce the Nandi Coffee Nursery Management and Licensing Guidelines (2025).

Farmers are directed to buy seedlings only from licensed nurseries and cooperatives, a move aimed at eliminating fake seedlings that have previously lowered yields.

Other reforms include:

• Operationalizing the Nandi Coffee Mill (NCM) in Tinderet.
• Establishing SACCOs in all 30 wards to expand farmer access to credit.
• Ensuring compliance with the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR).
• Launching a Geographical Indication (GI) Roadmap to brand and protect Nandi Coffee globally.
• Publishing and regularly updating a list of all licensed and compliant entities for greater transparency.

Dr. Lagat said the reforms are designed to “protect farmer incomes, strengthen cooperative governance, curb cherry theft, and ensure Nandi Coffee achieves global competitiveness.”

Farmers across the county have welcomed the measures.

“For years, cherry hawking has robbed us of our hard work. Traders buy our cherries cheaply at night and resell at a profit, while we remain broke. This crackdown is long overdue,” said David Kiptoo, a farmer from Mosoriot.

Another grower, Esther Chebet of Aldai, praised the new nursery rules, noting that fake seedlings had been a major challenge: “Certified nurseries will give us quality plants and better produce.”

Farmers also expressed optimism about the branding push. “If Nandi Coffee is branded and protected internationally, we can finally earn what our product is truly worth,” said Josephat Ngetich, a cooperative member in Tinderet.

With these reforms, Nandi County is setting a new standard for coffee sector governance in Kenya, giving farmers hope for higher incomes, stronger cooperatives, and better access to premium export markets.