Organic Coffee Assessment Report Ranchonyo District Presentation By Agri Pro Focus Coffee Group: [KOAN UFADHILI TRUST&KCPA] Kenya

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Introduction KCPA Recruitment Drive Ufadhili Trust Management Support Concern for Livelihood support thro Coffee Othaya Coffee society Visit. High Cost Production and Low cost approach To Give support to the MP initiative “What they saw impressed them”

Objectives To present the findings of an evaluation carried out in the five coop societies on the possibility of growing organic coffee To give an analysis of the major weaknesses in the societies and their possible solutions To revitalize the local coffee industry by introducing new thinking to increase farmers’ income

Visits 5 FCS ltd visited : Farm, Factory and the Committee Ayoro FCS ltd Oriende FCS ltd Ogera FCS ltd Kabondo FCS ltd Pala FCS ltd And DCO : Ranchonyo South District.

The team in one of the society

The findings Agro ecological Conditions Rainfall Soils Temperature Altitude Farming System Maize Bean intercrop Predominant(food security) Sweet potatoes( current cash crop),Bananas/ Cassava, Coffee. Livestock system: traditional 2-3 animals Biodiversity Varied and Interesting Agro forestry trees common on farms

Coffee Production Varieties: All grown, Ruiru 11 predominant Yields: 2-3kg per Tree Number of trees per Farmer: average 300trees

Coffee Production Agronomy Limited chemical use: Expensive Limited fertilizer use: Expensive limited Pruning: trees too bushy, “Hakuna Makasi hapa shambani” Common usage of manure.

Farm visit

Coffee Production: Quality Large, Fat, bright red Cherry beans “ I have never seen anything like this even in central Kenya”

Good quality coffee

A farmer shows his coffee

Wet Milling and Processing Machinery Old,descript and traditional. Malfunctioning: Pre grader, disc, pulpers Diesel operated “ go buy the diesel, we have some coffee to process Expensive maintenance and repairs. High costs of operations: water circulation Ad Hoc Operations

Picture of Machinery

Machinery

Coffee Processing facilities Houses, machinery housing, stores, drying shades, processing materials etc. Neglected leaking floors cracked walls Blown off by the wind “Need a new coat of paint” “There used be good time once”

Cracked fermentation tank

Improper pulping

The Results Poor coffee grading High percentage of berry skins with parchment coffee Cracked beans Low machinery throughput Low efficiency Long processing time.

Coffee Process Flow Critical process: Quality coffee and cup quality Labor:  Inadequate, low skilled, low knowledge on coffee processing. Management have low knowledge on the GMP for good coffee “ please wait for the factory manager to come and explain” Coffee fermentation process is inadequate.  Lack of GMP Noted: Lack of water, incomplete process is over, delay in start of the fermentation process, incomplete drying “ coffee in the soak pit”

Clean coffee in the soak pit (Loss)

Picture showing improper fermentation

Results of the Process Flow Compromised on the quality of coffee Quality > cup quality> Final payment(Low) Increased in costs: Labor and operations Reduced the volumes of coffee processed Discouraged farmers. Ad hoc “operations” styles.

Management assessment Historical “ cold war” among the FCS ltd Varied “ Economics of scale” Very small and very large. Declining membership./acreages/incomes Uneconomical to operates Capacity and style Varied “Resilient” management Determined to succeed at all odds. Need to join together: huge resistance

Picture of the management

Dilemma Good Coffee brought in by Farmers Bad Coffee brought out by the factories

Dilemma Quality coffee deliveredWasted coffee in the soak pit

Organic Potential Small farms outside the traditional coffee zones Low risk to organic production Varied Biodiversity Organic, fair trade and bird friendly coffee The Motivator “ Cash cow “ Low cost approach

The Way forward Organic Market is small and attractive Organic Fair-trade and bird friendly: Premium Guaranteed Market: Start small and grow Certification is expensive but possible Strategize on how to plant the current seedlings in the nursery Decide if interested in taking up the challenge

Thank you and Good day Hero Kamano