Traceable Organic Coffee from Kenya

Kenya is renowned for producing some of the world’s finest coffee, celebrated for its unique flavour profile and high quality. It is characterised by a bright wine-like acidity with complex notes of fruit, and powerful character. This creates well-balanced layers of acidity and citrus notes along with spice or chocolate flavours. This is due to the country’s unique soil, climate, and altitude combination, which create the perfect conditions for coffee cultivation.  Most of it is grown in very fertile volcanic soil on high altitudes between 1,400 to 2,000 metres above sea level. The growing region stretches from the hills of Mt. Kenya and almost to the capital, Nairobi. There is also a smaller region located on the slopes of Mt. Elgon.

Globally, major shifts in food consumption are occurring, consumers are increasingly moving towards sustainable sourcing and consumption. The shifts in global and local markets have been attributed to among them the considerable health and environmental consequences that are linked with some conventional farming practices including destruction of ecosystems, the use of synthetic fertilisers and/or harmful pesticides. To cater to the growing demand for sustainably produced products and services, more retailers are sourcing for organic produce. Majority of coffee producers are smallholder farmers producing over 60% of all Kenyan coffee, these farmers are autonomous and apply various practices that may not necessarily be sustainable or approved organic coffee production guidelines.

The DANIDA-funded Traceable Organic Coffee From Kenya (TRACE Kenya) project’s development objective is to foster economic growth and promote environmental and social standards of over 15,000 smallholder coffee producers (30% women, 10% youth) in Kericho, Nandi and Bungoma counties of Kenya. The project is implementing multi-pronged initiatives that encompass capacity building on innovative organic coffee practices, facilitating access to high-yielding and disease-resistant coffee varieties and eco-friendly inputs and technologies supporting the targeted farmers transition to organic coffee production. This has led to new job opportunities, has boosted farmer incomes from improved farmers’ productivity (volumes and quality) contributing to increased farmers’ incomes and sustainability. The project interventions have boosted innovation in organic inputs and service provision with development of organic inputs supply chains leading to creation of decent jobs and improved access to quality inputs. The project is equipping youth with the requisite skills and knowledge to enable them to explore on-and-off farm enterprises (economic opportunities) creating decent jobs along the value chain.

The commercial objective is to develop market access for Kenyan organic coffee in Europe and the USA. Solidaridad is working with African Coffee Roasters (ACR) to deliver organic certified coffee to global markets, secure new markets for ACR, and competitive prices for local farmers to ensure better incomes and livelihoods by 2025. Through this, Kenyan organic coffee will make its mark in the markets of the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea, offering consumers high-quality organic certified coffee. This expansion not only benefits the Africa Coffee Roasters EPZ Limited (ACR) but also guarantees enhanced livelihoods and incomes for the producers.

Through TRACE Kenya’s partnership with Rabobank Foundation on ACORN, farmers have been introduced to carbon farming, this has made it possible for smallholder coffee farmers to earn extra income from selling both rainforest-certified cherry/green beans and Carbon Removal Units (CRUs). Seedling nurseries established by the project are providing a revenue-generating stream for the cooperatives and employment for youths while also providing agroforestry seedlings that are helping farmers adapt to climate change in addition to implementing other climate-smart farming practices.

The project recently published a success story of one of the project beneficiaries and how transitioning to organic coffee has helped him enhance sustainability and resilience on his farm https://www.solidaridadnetwork.org/story/a-kenyan-coffee-grower-enhances-the-sustainability-and-resilience-of-his-farm/.