Machakos MCAs have adopted a motion to incorporate the coffee cooperative societies and give Machakos farmers access to the cherry fund released by the National government.
Kangundo Central MCA Moses Mitaa, who is also the Chairman of the Agricultural Committee in Machakos, forwarded the motion while speaking during a Bunge Mashinani sitting in Kangundo.
Mitaa said that most of the Cooperative Societies structures needed repair since most of them were in dilapidated state.
“I have tabled a motion in the Assembly that cooperative societies be refurbished, so that when funds come they are not misappropriated,” said MCA Mitaa.
“We have a Lower Eastern Coffee Milling (LECOM) factory in Machakos that will be of importance in ensuring that coffee merchandizing is no more, as farmers will be exporting through the factory,” added Mitaa.
In the motion, the Kangundo Central MCA asked the County Department of Agriculture to ensure that there is smooth running in the management of coffee cooperative societies and carry out an annual audit to each cooperative to help pursue its operations in both inflow and outflow of finances.
The MCAs in the motion requested the Agriculture Department to offer help to coffee farmers and ensure that they have access to the released cherry funds.
The Agricultural Department was also tasked in the motion with the responsibility to provide both managerial and financial support to LECOM milling factory, to ensure that there is no coffee brokerage currently affecting the sector.
Machakos County is estimated to have 5 million coffee plants with the capability of producing approximately 12 million Kgs of cherry.
Small scale farmers largely undertake coffee farming in Machakos County through co-operative movements, commonly known as Farmers Co-operative Societies and the rest are left as private farmers.
The top growing coffee areas in Ukambani are Kangundo, Kathiani, Matungulu and Machakos, and the peak period for delivering coffee is in the months of August and September.
By Janet Shitote and Ann Kangero
