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Conference to discuss coffee reforms kicks off in Nairobi
An international conference to discuss coffee reforms is scheduled to kick off in Nairobi tomorrow.
The conference that will bring together 55 participants, including representatives of small-scale coffee growers, has been organised by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA).
"This meeting is meant to give the ordinary people a voice on the reforms they would like to see and what, in their view, is ailing the coffee industry," said the NCA.
Participants are expected to gather at the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) complex in Westlands beginning today.
Apart from representatives from key stakeholders such as the Coffee Board of Kenya, Kenya Planters Co-operative Union and other marketing agents, the civil society groups have also been invited.
The forum will examine framework of reforms proposed by the World Trade Organisation and the Finance Bill that was passed by Kenya's Parliament last year suggesting radical reforms in coffee marketing.
The coffee industry has suffered during the past 10 years owing to poor prices, high costs of production and lack of incentives to farmers.
Production of coffee fell from 125,000 metric tonnes recorded during 1988/89 period to only 50,000 recorded last year.
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