Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Hon. FCPA Wycliffe Oparanya, EGH accompanied by State Department of Co-operatives Principal Secretary Mr. Patrick Kilemi, Commissioner of Co-operatives Mr. David Obonyo as well as New KPCU Chairman Mr. Daniel Chemno among other officials has held an engagement meeting with farmers and coffee sub-sector stakeholders in Likuyani, Kakamega County.
The engagement held in the Cabinet Secretary’s home turf, is aimed at boosting productivity and revitalizing the coffee sub-sector in potential growing counties in the Western Kenya region.
Staged at Kongoni Catholic Church, Likuyani, the event focused on empowering farmers with practical agronomy skills and tools through co-operatives to improve coffee production and sustainability as well as pushing for more uptake of the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund by Kakamega County farmers.
The coffee sub-sector has been identified in the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) as a key area for economic growth and employment creation.
The engagement initiative focuses on promoting value addition, improving the livelihoods of farmers, and increasing the production, local consumption, and export of coffee.