Aics Nairobi –
NAIROBI. The final event of the “Arabika” project was held today, at the Coffee Research Institute facilities in Ruiru. The event saw the participation of Ms. Lorenza Gambacorta, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of Italy to Kenya, of Hon. Dr John Mutunga, Chair of the Agricultural and Livestock
Committee of the National Assembly, and of Collins Marangu, the Agriculture Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Kenya, of Ms. Valeria Buoninfante, Acting Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) Nairobi office.
Funded by Italy with an investment of 3 million euros, the Arabika Project was developed in partnership with Kenyan institutions and implemented by a consortium of Italian Civil Society Organisations (CEFA, AVSI and E4Impact), together with Kenyan counterparts, such as the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) and the Coffee Research Institute (CRI). It has since involved seven counties—Meru, Nyeri, Murang’a, Embu, Kiambu, Machakos, and Bungoma—working with 21 cooperatives and reaching over 30,000 small-scale farmers.
Through strategic investments in management, product traceability, and brand development, the project has led to the creation of seven new Kenyan coffee brands, strengthening the entire coffee value chain, from production to market access. In the framework of the initiative, seven coffee laboratories has been renovated; seven modern and more efficient eco-pulpers provided, together with trainings to both farmers, cuppers and cooperative managers.
“The Arabika Project is an example of the strong partnership between Kenya and Italy,” said Ms. Lorenza Gambacorta, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of Italy to Kenya. “By combining Kenya’s rich coffee heritage with Italy’s expertise in processing and innovation, we have created a model of collaboration that benefits local communities while ensuring global competitiveness. Italy will continue supporting the coffee sector by the modernization of the Coffee Training Centre, which will be equipped with a new laboratory and with modern machinery for roasting, grinding and tasting coffee, within the framework of the “Mattei Plan”, the Italian strategy of cooperation with African countries”.
The initiative “Arabika: Revamping Gourmet Coffee Production in Kenya” is funded by the Italian Cooperation and is implemented in seven counties, through Civil Society Organizations (CEFA, AVSI Foundation and with the collaboration of E4Impact). The initiative, which involves 21 producer cooperatives that bring together over 30,000 small coffee growers, has an impact on the entire coffee supply chain, with the aim of improving the income and resilience of small producers in rural communities and of increasing the labour inclusion of women and young people. It improves access to markets, both locally and globally, ensuring sustainable production and greater economic return for small coffee growers. Arabika, the result of a dialogue that began in 2018 between Italian and Kenyan counterparts, is in line with the development strategies of the coffee supply chain of the Kenyan Government, at central and local level. Among the main results achieved, it can be highlighted the renovation of seven laboratories for coffee tasting with important infrastructural interventions and the provision of innovative machinery and equipment, the training of hundreds of trainers, farmers and cooperative managers.