Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has vowed to stand with Coffee farmers by implementing coffee reforms and the Cooperative bill to the letter.
Oparanya said the reforms will cut off farmer’s exploitation by cartels and brokers, strictly enforcing governance and leadership term limits to avoid mismanagement of factories and cooperative societies.
Speaking at Urru Stadium in Tigania West, Meru during a farmers sensitisation forum, the CS lamented that there are more than Sh6billion accrued debts that have impoverished farmers.
“We can’t write off all debts every now and then and henceforth, the government is ready to auction properties of directors who stole farmers money,” he said.
CS Oparanya said President William Ruto allocated Sh500Million to procure 5 million seedlings this year alone.
“There are only 3 million seedlings currently in the whole Country. As a result, we are importing these seedlings from Uganda, this is a big shame. The seedlings shall be distributed to cooperative movements,” Oparanya said.
Oparanya called upon farmers to increase coffee plantation saying the sector production has declined compared to 80s.
Tigania West MP John Mutunga said farmers are requesting guaranteed minimum returns so that they can earn massively from their production.
Mutunga pleaded with CS to ensure the subsidized fertiliser is rolled up to factories.
“We are grateful to the President for lowering prices from Sh6,000 to 2500. We plead for seedlings that highly grow in this region. The coffee research institute, has the capacity to collaborate with the cooperatives department and supply enough coffee seedlings,” Mutunga said.
Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri said there has been mismanagement by factory management that is destroying smooth running of factories leading to economic sabotage to farmers.
“I urge the national government to follow suit and bring to book such people,” he said.
CS Oparanya said farmers must be paid directly to their banks at 80% price money of their total production as per delivery.
“I know some people don’t want reforms. This is the reason we are battling to win seven court cases. I want to see farmers benefiting from their coffee production,” CS Oparanya said.
Speaking at the same function, Principal Secretary (PS) for Cooperatives Patrick Kilemi urged farmers in the County to increase coffee farming and improve productivity.
Kilemi said the government will not allow officials at cooperatives to take unnecessary loans, which he said was a burden on farmers as they pay for debts that did not benefit them.
He warned against directors who have a tendency of siphoning farmer’s funds.
Oparanya said the government introduced and released the Coffee Cherry fund which is available to farmers at three percent interest.
The CS said the government is encouraging farmers to amicably resolve bedeviling issues as it fights infiltration of cartels and brokers.
“Our main aim is to first revive cooperative movements, revive the coffee sector and sensitive farmers on the way forward to growing more coffee. Whatever we are doing today was approved by the Parliament and Senate,” he said.
“How can they say I am killing cooperatives by enforcing policy, laws and reforms where coffee farmer’s funds go directly to their accounts and not to cooperatives?” He asked.
Both leaders defended the Kenya Kwanza administration saying it has achieved several development projects since 2022.
