(learnt through Fair Trade Organization of Kenya) Coffee Productivity Challenge A. Contact Details Applicant name:NEWTON MURITHI KARIUKI Name of the organisation (if any):NEMBURE FARMERS CO-OP SOCIETY Type of organisation (producer organisation, NGO, company etc.): PRODUCER Region that you work in:EMBU COUNTY Country:KENYA Telephone: (0) Website (if available):

CONSTRAINS LIMITING COFFEE PRODUCTIVITY Failure to adopt good agricultural practices by farmers has resulted to decrease in production of coffee stems. To begin with, the existence of exhausted soils due to conventional practices has been a key back setter. This has been brought about by application of conventional inputs in the past which are no longer applied at present due to their sky rocketing costs which farmers cannot afford. Failure to terrace their farms has led to further soil exhaustion. This is achieved when rains sweep away nutrients in resulted erosions. Its further achieved by failure to adopt mulching and planting of shade trees in the coffee fields. This gives room for evaporation of utilities in the soil leaving our coffee stems with insufficient nutrients for survival.

Excessive intercropping of coffee with other crops result to competition for scarce utilities in the soil resulting to weak stems hence low yields. Failure to observe the coffee calendar strictly, manage insects, pests and diseases due to lack of adequate knowledge of these fields result to low yields. This is achieved due to poor timing when de-suckering and pruning without expertise. Elimination of beneficial insects in the system limits their benefits in our farms. Failure to adopt organic farming which is economical can result to unattended farms hence low outputs.

STRATEGIES TO INCREASE COFFEE PRODUCTION Coffee productivity will improve if farmers are ready to adopt and implement good agricultural practices. These include; mulching which is to be emphasized to all farmers to revive the exhausted soils. Sensitizing farmers on organic farming will ensure that exhausted soils no longer exist and farmers are in a position to prepare organic inputs and incentives with readily available materials.

This will see through adherence to the coffee calendar. It will be further boosted by provision of adequate knowledge to farmers on the coffee calendar, disease, insect and pest management which must be prioritized, providing the farmers with adequate knowledge on disease identification and control as well as pest management on their farms which is non existence at the moment. Introduction of improved varieties of coffee such as the Batian must be intensified by availing seedlings to farmers. This will help boost yields as these are less prone to diseases. Planting of shade trees on coffee fields and existence of beneficial insects in the eco system must be emphasized to farmers.

EXTENSION OF STRATEGIES TOWARDS IMPROVED COFFEE PRODUCTIVITY The strategies to increase coffee productivity in the section above are existent at some levels with their impacts being experienced. This offers us a reasonable foundation to adoption and extension. Excellent farming practices such as mulching, planting of shade trees in coffee fields and existence of improved varieties of coffee in the farming ecosystem offers us adequate room for contrast of productivity with non practicing farmers. This will give us an opportunity in which these practices will be imparted to farmers as well as their benefits in terms of improved productivity. Existence of set aside fields, where organic farming practices are carried out as well as existence of certified organic farmers alongside organic specialists in the ecosystem is real proof that, any farmer willing to adopt and implement organic farming has an opportunity to learn organic benefits and adoption formulas as well as preparation of organic incentives and inputs. Making known the coffee calendar can be seen through by collaboration of existing farmers Sacco’s, officials and management, relevant pesticides manufacturing enterprises and the coffee research foundation.

The relevant farmers Sacco's in collaboration with the government can ensure that farm in puts are availed to farmers at lover rates through subsidized prices, which will greatly favor increased Productivity. The coffee research foundation, the farmers Sacco's, pesticide manufactures, agricultural researchers and organic specialists can se through trainings on integrated pest, disease and insect identification and control to farmers in joint forums. With all these, improved productivity, our ultimate goal has to be achieved

IMPACTS TO INCREASE COFFEE PRODUCTIVITY In cases where the strategies above will be implemented and adopted by all stakeholders, improved coffee productivity will be instantly realized. This will be as a result of the imparted skills being practiced in the coffee fields. Farmers who know the coffee calendar entirely and apply it on their farms will bring forth coffee stems that are healthy hence increased yields. In farms where farmers apply conventional or organic farm incentives, healthier stems and controlled pests will be existent thus a reasonable ground for improved yields will be in place.

Intensive care to improved varieties of coffee will lead to admirable yields. Farms attended by farmers with adequate knowledge on pest, disease and insect identification and control will be resultant to appealing yields. Existence of mulched coffee fields with shade trees which will bring the existence of improved soil profiles and textures, that are conducive for coffee stems will result to improved productivity. Adoption of organic practices by farmers on coffee fields will result to improved soils, cheap and secured pest, disease and insect control measures which are a impressive gear to improved yields.

EXTENT OF REPLICATION BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND FARMERS. The strategies to increase coffee productivity set are subject to replication by willing farmers and interested organizations related to coffee production irrespective of their geographical locations, as long as they are willing to adopt and implement them to achieve any desired extremes. In addition to this, they are subject to any significant scale up and advancement to achieve more advanced results as long as they remain viable in the coffee industry.

Shade trees can be planted along the terraces

Cover crops planted along the terraces to hold the soil

Batian coffee variety Improved coffee variety that are resistant to Coffee berry disease and leaf rust.

Terraces at intervals on coffee fields

Mature shade trees on coffee bushes.

Mulched coffee fields

Deciduous shade trees provide mulch in coffee fields