News

Governors set for high-level coffee forum

coffee

Coffee Sub-sector Implementation Committee Joseph Kieyah. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Governors from 31 counties are set to discuss issues affecting the implementation of proposed legal reforms aimed at turning around the coffee sub-sector.

The reforms being implemented by the Coffee Sub-sector Implementation Committee (CSIC) have been strongly opposed by a section of stakeholders, who include officials of coffee co-operative societies, millers and marketers.

The committee has now decided to hold a meeting with the 31 governors whose counties grow coffee in a bid to break the stalemate.

“Taking cognisance of the policies implementation role of county governments on agricultural matters, CSIC intends to consult and co-operate with the Council of Governors (CoG) on its execution of its mandate,” reads an invitation letter by committee chairman Joseph Kieyah to the CoG. The letter invites the county executives to a two-day meeting in Naivasha.

According to the committee’s communication division, they will first have a session tomorrow (Monday) with the county executives in charge of agriculture before engaging their bosses on Tuesday when the consultative meeting will end. The county executives will start arriving today at Enashipai Resort and Spa, venue of the meeting.

Prof Kieyah told the Sunday Nation that he expects to sign a memorandum of understanding on implementation of the coffee reforms between his committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Co-operatives and the CoG.

“I also expect a concurrence on the draft coffee general regulations and trading rules, with the respective counties setting targets to increase coffee productivity,” he said.

READ: Focus shifts to new leaders on proposed coffee sector reforms

The general rules were developed by a national task force President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed to see how the coffee sector could be resuscitated.

Prof Kieyah chaired the task force and the Head of State subsequently appointed him chairman of the CSIC.

The CSIC had gazetted general coffee rules proposed by the task force when some farmers, backed by then Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya (Meru county) raised objections in court.

The court declared the regulations unlawful, observing that they were developed without any public participation.

It then directed Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett to ensure the rules were passed within 30 days of the first sitting of the present Parliament.