While Kenyan coffee has long been one of the most sought after origins in the world, rules within the Kenyan auction system made it impossible to achieve the transparency that Fair Trade Certification requires. Those rules were relaxed only months ago, and now the very first of what we hope will be a great many Fair Trade Certified Kenyan coffees has reached our shores.
The Rumukia Farmers Cooperative Society is one of those newly-certified grower groups. Situated in the Nyeri district, among the rich, red, volcanic foothills of Mt. Kenya in eastern Kenya, the region enjoys a unique micro-climate — a temperate zone with regular, seasonal rainfall.
Even before being certified, the cooperative organized “field days” to train its members in agricultural best practices, and offered credit services for education and medical emergencies. The cooperative is currently working to upgrade its drying tables, and improve its road network so that farmers can deliver coffee to the mills more efficiently.