LAIKIPIA COUNTY — Coffee is fast replacing maize and livestock as the new cash crop in Laikipia, as more farmers turn to the high-value crop to increase their income and adapt to the region’s semi-arid climate. Once dominated by large-scale maize and livestock farming, the county is now seeing a steady rise in coffee cultivation. This shift is driven by strong market demand and the proven adaptability of coffee varieties like Batian and Ruiru 11.
Farmers say the payoff is clear. From each of their 600 bushes, growers report earning up to Ksh 800 per bush between October 2024 and the current harvest season. On average, it takes five kilograms of coffee cherry to produce one kilogram of parchment, the final product sold to processors.
The economic returns have already prompted a surge in adoption. In just two years, the number of coffee farmers in Laikipia jumped from 398 in 2023 to 1,117 in 2025, according to the county’s Agriculture Department. Githiga Ward, located in Laikipia West, now leads the expansion with 624 active farmers.
To support the growing interest, the county government distributed 23,000 coffee seedlings between 2022 and June 2025. Additional distributions are planned in Sossian, Githiga, Marmanet, Igwamiti, Ol Moran, and Ngobit. Ten agricultural officers also underwent training in June at the Coffee Research Institute to guide farmers on modern coffee production and management.
“The crop is doing well even in our dry areas,” said a farmer from Githiga. “We are seeing better income compared to maize, and it needs less water than we thought.”
Kenya’s coffee sector once ranked among the top five globally during the 1970s. Today, it has fallen to 20th, surpassed by Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Côte d’Ivoire. But counties like Laikipia may play a part in reversing that trend.
Timothy Mirugi, Managing Director of the New Kenya Cooperative Union, said demand remains strong. “All the coffee delivered last season has already been sold. We’re currently dispatching this year’s crop,” he confirmed during a recent public briefing.
Mirugi’s remarks point to a growing international appetite for Kenyan beans, known for their quality and flavor profiles.
Coffee farming in Laikipia is now drawing attention from private investors and agricultural cooperatives. With institutional backing, improved technical support, and growing profitability, coffee may soon rival traditional staples in the county’s economy. The momentum suggests that what began as a modest shift in crop choice could mark the start of a broader transformation in Laikipia’s agricultural future.
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