Rift Valley Farmers Shift to Coffee and Cash Crops Amid Increasing Food Insecurity

Strategic Insights -

Joshua Kosgei, a 62-year-old small-scale farmer from Moiben in Uasin Gishu County, has been forced to rethink his future in cereal farming due to the rising costs of production and unstable market prices. For over 30 years, Kosgei relied on maize and wheat farming as his primary source of income, but he is now joining the growing number of farmers in the region shifting focus to alternative cash crops such as coffee, avocado, and horticulture. This shift is being backed by regional authorities and governors under the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB), who are promoting coffee farming in traditionally cereal-growing regions. The county has distributed over 383,000 coffee seedlings to farmers, and the region is emerging as a key coffee-producing area, with production increasing by over 236% last season.

Key Takeaways:

  • The North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) is promoting coffee farming in traditionally cereal-growing regions, with the county distributing over 383,000 coffee seedlings to farmers.
  • The Rift Valley is emerging as a key coffee-producing region, with production increasing by over 236% last season.
  • Coffee production in the region offered a well-managed acre can earn farmers an average of Sh75,000 annually.
  • Sugarcane farming is gaining traction in Rift Valley, with production of factory cane rising from 1,041,780 tonnes to 1,644,395 tonnes last season.
  • Many farmers are turning to horticulture and avocado farming to replace their cereal ventures, which offer quicker returns and are supported by robust export markets and agro-processing industries.
  • Experts urge a balanced approach that safeguards national food security, as sustained decline in cereal production could have far-reaching consequences.
  • Uasin Gishu County has seen a huge decline in wheat acreage from 40,000 hectares to 18,000 hectares over the last decade.

Statistics:

  • Last season, the Rift Valley produced 65,618.5 tonnes of coffee, up from 19,573.38 tonnes the previous year.
  • Over 383,000 coffee seedlings have been distributed to farmers, and 17,500 avocado seedlings and 50,000 pyrethrum splits have also been distributed.
  • National wheat production stands at an average of 365,600 tonnes annually.
  • Last season, the Rift Valley produced 4.5 million bags of wheat from 127,825 hectares.
  • Maize yields have declined from 44 million bags in 2022/2023 to 21 million in 2024/2025 before a brief recovery to 70 million (50kg) bags in 2025/2026.

Sources:

  • Coffee Research Foundation (CRF)
  • Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii
  • Peter Boit, a coffee farmer in Uasin Gishu
  • George Otieno, an agricultural expert in Eldoret
  • May agriculture report
  • Uasin Gishu County's agriculture department