A transformative women-led initiative in Nandi County is reshaping rural livelihoods and revitalizing the coffee industry. Dubbed Kahawa na Mama, the programme is empowering thousands of women by giving them direct ownership of coffee trees, access to agricultural training, and market connections marking a bold step toward financial independence and gender equity in farming communities.
Launched in the wake of the 2022 general elections, the initiative is anchored on four core pillars: women’s economic empowerment, agricultural revival, grassroots self-reliance, and environmental sustainability. The programme emerged from the realization that while women often perform the majority of agricultural labour, they rarely control the income generated. By addressing this imbalance, Kahawa na Mama is enabling women to take control of both their farms and their futures.
In its first year, the initiative distributed over 150,000 certified coffee seedlings to 900 women organized in 63 self-help groups. Building on that success, the second phase scaled up with 500,000 additional seedlings. Today, nearly 4,000 women across six sub-counties Nandi Hills, Aldai, Mosop, Chesumei, Emgwen, and Tinderet—are active participants.
Groups such as Mogobich Progressive and Kaptis Women in Coffee are reviving neglected farms and earning new incomes. Others, like the Cheboite Women Empowerment Group in Aldai, are diversifying with intercropping, planting avocado alongside coffee for added returns. These efforts have led to tangible gains, with women using proceeds to pay school fees, invest in livestock, and grow savings through table-banking schemes.
The programme is also advancing sustainability. Intercropping with bananas and shade trees helps combat soil erosion, improves soil health, and supports agroforestry. Moreover, a charter mandating joint registration of coffee bushes between spouses is promoting gender equity in land ownership and household decision-making.
To support this growing movement, collaborations have been established with county and national institutions. Seedling nurseries have been set up, agronomists and cooperatives engaged, and 60 new extension officers are set to be trained by 2026 to meet increasing demand. Infrastructure upgrades are also underway, with efforts to expand local wet mills and introduce solar dryers in response to the rising harvest volumes.
Looking ahead, plans are in motion to develop a women-exclusive microlot brand, Nandi Gold, targeting international coffee markets, with a possible debut at the 2026 World of Coffee Expo in Dubai.
Kahawa na Mama is more than a farming programme it’s a grassroots movement redefining gender roles, reclaiming economic agency, and telling a new story with every bean harvested.
