Kenya Karinga AB 1kg

• Country: Kenya
• Region:  Gatundu, Kiambu County, Central Province
• Farm:  Samwel Muteti manages the Karinga washing station, which is owned by the Gitwe Farmers Co-operative Society
• Variety: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian
• Processing: Washed
• Altitude: 1800 MASL

The roaster's story:

An exceptional lot from the Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society, which offers financial and agricultural suppport to its 500 small- holder farmers. Expect a vibrant, sweet coffee with notes of cherry, blackcurrant, and rooibos.

"The Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society offers financial support and agricultural training to it's 500 smallholder farmers".

The individuals that make up the collective actually grow more tea than coffee. The Gitwe FCS provides financing to those who require financial assistance before the harvest is complete. There are a number of challenges, including lack of access to enough loan facilities and high costs of agricultural inputs. But the FCS is encouraging producers to shift to coffee rather than tea, since the value of coffee is higher, and coffee yields have been gradually increasing since 2012.

The affiliate members of the factory carry out all agronomic activities associated with coffee production like sourcing coffee from the Coffee Research Station and planting according to its guidelines. Their fieldwork also involves weeding, pruning, mulching and technical advice. Technical advice is offered through farmer training programs and field visits offered by the Ministry of Agriculture. The goal of the Society is to help their members produce more, high-quality coffee and in-turn, receive a higher price for their product.