Bungoma Senator David Wakoli has called for concerted efforts to fight coffee cartels giving farmers a hard time.
Speaking in Bungoma on Monday, January 15, Wakoli called on farmers fro the western Kenya region to embrace coffee farming saying it was not a preserve of farmers from Mt Kenya region.
“We must fight coffee cartels for farmers to reap their sweat.
“The visit by PS Co-operatives Patrick Kiburi Kilemi here at Musese is a clear indication that the government is attentive to our concerns. We have long grappled with the misconception that coffee is exclusively a product of Central Kenya,” he said.
The PS had the opportunity to witness first-hand the immense potential of Bungoma County in producing high-quality coffee.
According to the politician, this visit by the PS underscores the fact that the region has a crucial role to play in the coffee industry.
“With the devolution of Agriculture, I call upon the Bungoma County CECM for Agriculture to take the lead in engaging coffee farmers through public participation.
“We must revisit and reassess all existing contracts that have proven detrimental to the interests of our farmers,” he said.
“These contracts are death traps; they are not pro-farmers. We must review them as soon as yesterday.
“I am pleased by the PS’s visit and the government’s commitment to supporting the Coffee Bill, a transformative piece of legislation that holds the potential to revolutionize the sector,” he added.
He said action should be taken swiftly and in collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure the success of this initiative and secure a brighter future for coffee industry.