Improved electricity supply is transforming coffee production in Kericho County, enabling farmers and cooperative societies to extend working hours and improve coffee handling.
Coffee farmers and workers at Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society say access to reliable electricity has made it possible to process larger volumes of coffee, particularly at night, while also improving working conditions.
Kiprotich Lang’at, a coffee farmer in Kericho, said electrification had enabled farmers to process harvested coffee on time, including during the night.
Before electricity was available, coffee pulping stopped when darkness set in, forcing farmers to wait until the following day.
"Before electricity, coffee pulping would stop once darkness came, forcing harvested coffee to wait until the next day, which affected its weight and quality," he said.
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He said the improved electricity supply had also strengthened the movement of coffee from pulping to the market, enabling buyers to receive better-quality produce and giving farmers a better opportunity to secure favourable prices.
Lang’at added that electricity had improved security at the facility, with CCTV cameras now operational and helping reduce cases of theft.
Emmanuel Cheruiyot, a machine operator, said electricity had significantly improved operations at the coffee factory by allowing machines to run until late at night.
He said workers can now continue with production until around midnight, increasing the amount of work completed each day.
"Before electricity, we depended on paraffin lamps and had to stop machines early because there was no light, forcing us to finish work much earlier," he stated.
Cheruiyot said the continued progress could enable the factory to expand and become bigger, creating more opportunities and support for workers and the surrounding community.
Flora Maritim, who works at Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society, said electricity had made operations easier, particularly in the office and during coffee handling.
She said staff can now print documents, photocopy, charge phones and use security lights, which are especially important when large quantities of coffee are being handled at night.
Maritim said improved security had encouraged more farmers to deliver their coffee to the cooperative, resulting in increased coffee volumes and the creation of more employment opportunities.
"Because farmers no longer fear insecurity, more coffee is coming in, more farmers are bringing their produce, and more workers have been employed, helping them earn money to support their families," she said.
Maritim said Sorwot FCS was continuing to grow and expand, with reliable electricity expected to support additional businesses in the future.
On her part, Fancy Chematich, a clerk at Sorwot FCS, said electricity had particularly transformed operations in the coffee sorting section by allowing workers to continue sorting until late at night.
She said the extended working hours had also created overtime opportunities for employees while allowing the cooperative to handle larger quantities of coffee.
Chematich said the cooperative's long-term ambition was to operate continuously and process coffee around the clock.
"The future looks promising because we hope to reach a point where Sorwot FCS can process coffee for 24 hours," she stated.
Elsewhere, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has announced that the construction of the Kabati Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Murang’a County has reached 85% completion.
In an update on Monday, August 17, he noted that four modern manufacturing warehouses have already been completed to accelerate industrial take-off at the facility.
"The development of the Kabati Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Mitubiri, Kakuzi Ward, Murang'a County, is a strategic national investment under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
"Now at 85 percent completion, with perimeter fencing currently underway, the project is taking shape as the Central Region's premier manufacturing and agro-processing hub," read the statement in part.
Omollo highlighted that the Kabati EPZ reserves 500 acres for manufacturing, warehousing and export infrastructure.
He also mentioned that a further 700 acres have been set aside for supporting amenities, including housing, hospitality, healthcare and education.
The EPZ is strategically located about two kilometers off the Nairobi-Nyeri Highway and approximately 85 kilometers from Nairobi, giving it access to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), major road networks and a ready workforce.
Omollo also said the facility will host a range of industries, including solar panel assembly, textile and garment manufacturing, industrial washing facilities to support apparel production, as well as agro-processing and packhouse facilities.
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