Coffee farming provides lifeline for Kenya's central region

Caption

It was just past midday when Richard Muthie stood at the gate of the Mutira Farmers' Cooperative Society coffee factory, ready to deliver his harvest. Along with the 50-year-old farmer were 30 kg of ripe, red coffee berries freshly picked by him earlier that morning.

Since the start of the year, Muthie has delivered 400 kg of coffee berries for processing at the cooperative's mill, located about four km from his half-acre farm in Kenya's central county of Kirinyaga. The land, inherited from his father, has been his source of livelihood. "Coffee provides me with income to meet my household needs," Muthie said.