/033 Kenya — Rui Ruiru Farmers Society

Kenya experimental nanolot—

Nyeri County lies on the western slope of the highest mountain in the country – Mt. Kenya (5,199 m). Due to the altitude (farms are located at 1,280 – 1,970 m.a.s.l.), fertile red volcanic soils, and a tropical climate, coffee from Nyeri is considered one of the best in Kenya, and the entire region is called “The Champagne Region of Coffee.” Despite this, for several years in the 21st century, Nyeri’s coffee industry experienced stagnation for economic reasons.

Until 2014, the Rui Ruiru Processing Station, which was part of the Mathira North Cooperative, was renowned for producing high-quality coffee. However, it ceased working and began to decline. In 2020, representatives of the Rui Ruiru Station, headed by the village headman Charles Maina, reached out to Crowd Farm Africa for help in reviving the factory. Through the Ministry of Agriculture and the Nyeri County Government, we agreed to assist them.

The Rui Ruiru Station was in a dilapidated condition, including a broken-down coffee pulping machine. In order to help them restart production, we agreed to focus on natural coffee processing, including anaerobic processing. In the first year, the station was able to resume work and collected 24,000 kg of coffee cherries. In 2021, production doubled to 60,000 kg of coffee cherries. With our support, we involved other partners in the restoration of the coffee station, and together, we managed to build two greenhouses to aid in the drying of the cherries.

Currently, the Rui Ruiru Coffee factory produces natural coffee, which is then processed at the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union station. As a result of this revitalization project, many local households have begun rehabilitating their coffee plantations. The income generated from these plantations will help farmers educate their children, take care of their health, and improve the infrastructure of their homes. Additionally, this project has become a significant source of employment for thousands of individuals involved in the coffee value chain.

Anaerobic nanolot experiment

All coffee cherries are carefully selected by hand before delivery to the collection center. Then, the cherries are placed in containers with all the air being completely pumped out for 72 hours. After that, the coffee cherries are dried until the skin of the cherries acquires a pronounced dark color, and the bean is completely separated from the dried pulp, which can be heard by the characteristic tapping of the bean in the middle of the dried shell. Drying lasts until the moisture content in the bean reaches 12%. After drying, the cherries are collected in bags so that the beans can exchange moisture.

The last stage involves sending the beans to the huller to remove all the upper layers. The final product is then packed in 60-kg jute bags with GrainPro protection and sent for export.