Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has invited governors from coffee growing areas to participate in the Coffee stakeholders conference in Meru County.
The conference is slated for this week between June 8 - 10.
Speaking when he chaired the Intergovernmental Budget Economic Council (IBEC) on Monday, June 5 Mr Gachagua said the reforms in the coffee sub-sector require high-level interventions from all stakeholders, including the governors for easier implementation.
"We will hold a stakeholders Conference on coffee reforms in the subsector. I urge the governors and County Executive Committee Members to attend in person. We will come up with measures to make sure the farmers get commensurate returns for their sweat," Gachagua stated.
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The Deputy President mentioned that the reforms would have far-reaching implications that would among other issues, ensure coffee becomes the leading foreign exchange earner for the country.
Favourable and predictable market through longterm reforms, he said, would boost the quantities of coffee.
On the ongoing crackdown on illicit brew and drug abuse, the Deputy President asked the governors to allocate license revenue to rehabilitation initiatives.
Gachagua noted that the number of public rehabilitation centres in the country is limited while private facilities are too expensive for poor families.
Private facilities charge from about Sh100,000 and even more per month, depending on the facility.
"This is too expensive for many. We urge counties to consider that all revenue collected from licensing be availed to deal with rehabilitation and advocacy," he stated.
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