Kagumo coffee factory is affiliated to Mutira Farmers Co-operative society, was formed in 1951 and registered with the Ministry of Co-operative in 1954 under registration No. 0422. It is located in Mt. Kenya region, Kirinyaga County in central part of Kenya. The catchment area covers Mutira and Kanyekiini locations. It is about 115 Km from Nairobi city.

The society has seven wet mills with its head office situated at Kagumo coffee factory. It is managed by seven elected management and three supervisory committee members.

LOCATION

Kagumo coffee factory is located on the western slopes of Mt Kenya and eastern slopes of the Abardare Ranges. Seven committee members – coming from the FCS – manage the washing station, with the secretary manager acting as executive officer responsible for day-to-day management of the coop activities.

SOILS AND CLIMATE

The Coffee Factory is dressed with red-volcanic soil that infuses it with all the mineral and organic goodness necessary for optimum production. It experiences an annual rainfall of 1,100 mm at 1,550m above sea level. In addition it enjoys cool temperatures of 16-26°C.

PEAK SEASONS

Number of casual staff varies from year-to-year depending on harvest yields. 

During peak season the factory employs about five casuals, while during the off-peak, at most one is retained. Permanent staff duties include weighing coffee, selection and grading of coffee, paying farmers and addressing farmers’ concerns.

FARM ACTIVITIES

Affiliate members of the factory carry out all agronomic activities associated with coffee production (i.e. sourcing coffee from the Coffee Research Station and planting according to its guidelines). Their
fieldwork also involves weeding, pruning, spraying, and application of fertilizer, mulching and technical advice. Technical advice is offered through farmer training programs and field visits offered by Ministry of Agriculture. 

Compliance to the agreed guidelines is checked and supervised by the field committee. Amongst other things, this committee checks that coffee is not inter-cropped with maize and beans, though they do allow intercropping with macadamia nuts.

PROCESSING

Cherries are selectively handpicked and delivered to the wet-mill on the same day. These cherries are sorted at the wet-mill prior to pulping, where ripe cherries are separated from under- and overripe cherries. 

All processing uses clean river water from the river is recirculated prior to being disposed of in seepage pits (to prevent contamination). 

MANAGEMENT

Kagumo Coffee factory is run by a factory manager who oversees all activities within the factory. Together with other staff members they carry out duties such as weighing coffee, selection and grading of coffee, paying farmers and addressing farmers’ complaints.

ECOLOGY

In addition to coffee, common crops grown are banana and maize. Grevillea or macadamia trees are also planted to provide shade to the growing coffee trees.

WELFARE

Currently the factory offers farm inputs on credit and cash advances to farmers as incentives.