Nairobi: The Nandi Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union milling plant at Chebonet in Songhor-Soba Ward has emerged as the centerpiece of the coffee revival programme in Nandi County, transforming the fortunes of thousands of smallholder farmers through value addition, improved marketing, and cooperative development.
According to Kenya News Agency, the modern facility in Tinderet Sub County has ended decades of dependence on distant processors, enabling farmers to process their coffee closer to home while retaining more value within the county’s economy. The Sh 60 million investment has strengthened the entire coffee value chain, from production and aggregation to milling, grading, and marketing.
The establishment of the mill is part of the county government’s broader strategy to build a farmer-owned coffee industry anchored on strong cooperative societies rather than individual marketing. The facility serves as the processing hub for the Nandi Coffee Cooperative Union, bringing together coffee from dozens of primary cooperative societies spread across the county.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr. Benard Lagat emphasized that the milling plant has fundamentally changed the structure of the coffee industry in Nandi. By processing coffee locally, farmers retain value within Nandi, improve traceability, strengthen quality assurance, and connect directly to better-paying markets.
The mill was designed to support the rapid expansion of coffee farming, which has seen thousands of farmers rehabilitate old plantations and establish new coffee fields following improved prices at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. The catchment area has expanded significantly as more cooperative societies join the Nandi Coffee Cooperative Union, growing from 18 primary societies to over 100 organized societies.
Dr. Lagat noted that coffee production has seen massive increases, with Nandi marketing over 2.2 million kilogrammes of clean coffee valued at approximately Sh1.9 billion in the current marketing season. Previously, farmers incurred significant transport costs while taking parchment coffee to processors outside the county, reducing earnings and delaying payments. The local facility has reduced these costs while improving efficiency and transparency.
Equipped for cleaning, grading, milling, and preparing export-quality coffee, the plant’s recent investments, including a modern weighbridge, have enhanced accountability in coffee handling. The county government continues to invest in infrastructure and equipment, preparing for future expansion as coffee acreage grows.
Complementary investments include the distribution of certified coffee seedlings, extension services, farmer training, and support for cooperative governance. Over eight million coffee seedlings have been distributed as part of a program to restore Nandi’s position among Kenya’s premier coffee-growing regions.
The benefits extend beyond farmers, as transporters and local youth gain from reduced logistics costs and employment opportunities in various sectors related to coffee processing. Businesses around Chebonet have also benefited from increased commercial activity.
The revival has encouraged young people to embrace coffee farming again, with many returning to the crop due to improved prices and local processing services. Dr. Lagat attributes the transformation to policies focusing on cooperative development and value addition, with collective marketing guaranteeing stronger bargaining power, lower costs, and better access to services.
Nandi County consistently produces premium coffee grades, with nearly 80 per cent classified as AA and AB, yielding attractive returns at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. Collaborations with national agencies and development partners aim to strengthen the coffee value chain further.
For farmers in Songhor-Soba ward and Nandi County, the Chebonet milling plant represents renewed hope after years of uncertainty in the coffee sector. As more farmers plant and expand coffee acreage, the plant is expected to become an even more crucial pillar of the county’s agricultural economy.
Dr. Lagat is confident that continued investments in value addition, cooperative strengthening, and market access will sustain the impressive growth in the sector. ‘Our vision is to make Nandi one of Kenya’s leading coffee-producing counties through a fully integrated, farmer-owned value chain,’ he stated, emphasizing the importance of the Coffee Mill in realizing this vision.
