BACKGROUND

Kathakwa Factory is part of the Kibugu Farmer’s Cooperative Society. It started in 1964. Current membership stands at 1,100.

LOCATION

Kathakwa coffee factory situated at Kibugu location, Nginda sub-location in Embu County. The factory treats all water in soak pits to ensure no contaminates run into the local waterways, which are a source for drinking water.

SOILS AND CLIMATE

Kathakwa Factory sits on the slopes of Mount Kenya in the Manyatta division of the Embu County. Rich volcanic soil, an annual rainfall of almost 1,500m, and the abundance of SL 28 and SL 34 varieties all lend immense quality to the production of coffee in this specific area. In this area of Kenya, smallholders deliver coffee in cherry to washing stations. Typically, the climate ranges from 12 to 25 degrees Celsius year round. Production cycle follows the standard timeframe with main crop harvested October through December/January and fly crop harvested April through June.

PROCESSING

After picking, ripe cherry is brought to the factory by smallholder farmers, before it undergoes processing to remove the skin and pulp. The nearest water source is the Kii river.

After washing, the coffee is dried on typical African raised beds, which allow good air circulation between the beans. Beans are dried to between 11 and 13 % and then brought to the Central Kenya Coffee Mill in Nyeri for grading and sorting.

MANAGEMENT

Kathakwa Coffee factory is run by a factory manager. The permanent staff duties include weighing coffee, selection and grading of coffee, paying farmers and addressing farmers’ complaints.

AGRONOMY

The affiliate members of the factory carry out all agronomic activities associated with coffee production i.e. they source coffee from the Coffee Research Station and plant it according to the stipulated guidelines.

Fieldwork carried out involves weeding, pruning, spraying, and application of fertilizer, mulching and technical advice. Technical advice is offered through farmer training programs and field visits/days offered by ministry of agriculture.

TRAININ

Kathakwa has long-term goals to increase coffee production, training seminars, and access to education and sustainable processes for the farmers they work with. They also maintain a demonstration plot that farmers can visit and reference in relation to their own plots.