Impact of Coffee Certification on Smallholder Coffee Farming in Embu County, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The coffee sub-sector plays a significant role in Kenya's economy. It is a major foreign exchange earner and supports about 800,000 households in terms of incomes, employment and food security. Coffee certification has been a relatively new approach, focusing on both small-holder coffee farmers and estates in Kenya. Data on the impacts of coffee certification exists although it has been piecemeal or anecdotal. Therefore, the results obtained from this study, will add to the knowledge base on the impact of certification programs and provide useful insights to coffee certification bodies and coffee farmers in Kenya.

Methods: The study was carried out in Embu County. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample 480 coffee farmers. Logit model was applied to establish the factors that influenced farmers' to participate in certification. Propensity score-matching method analyzed the impact of certification on coffee productivity and prices.

Results: Results showed there were factors that influenced farmers' to participate in certification. Certified farmers produced more coffee in some years compared to non-certified farmers. However, the study did not find any impact of certification on coffee prices.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that on awareness level, policy makers need to focus on training and empowering coffee farmers and coffee stakeholders on the different certification programs available in Kenya, so that farmers are aware and can make decisions on whether to be certified or otherwise and also on the type of certification to implement