Climate Change Challenges Pushes Kenyan Coffee Farmers To Revolutionize With Technology – CoffeeTalk

In Kirinyaga County, Kenya, a quiet revolution is brewing as one coffee plant at a time. Harrison Murimi, a 34-year-old coffee farmer, represents a new generation of Kenyan farmers who are reimagining agriculture in the face of economic challenges and climate uncertainty. His journey is more than a personal success story; it’s a blueprint for how young Kenyans can reimagine agriculture in the face of economic challenges and climate uncertainty.

Murimi’s path to farming was born of necessity and opportunity. After completing his secondary education, Murimi faced the harsh reality many Kenyan youth encounter – limited financial resources for higher education. His father, recognising the potential in their small family land, made a pivotal decision by leasing out coffee stems to raise money for his university education. With a bachelor’s degree in Education Arts from Laikipia University secured, Mr. Murimi received a portion of family land. What began as 80 coffee stems quickly grew to 5,000 plants spread across five acres. But it’s not just the quantity that’s remarkable – it’s how he farms.

His technological arsenal includes advanced irrigation systems powered by electricity, modern spraying equipment, and a game-changing mobile application called Yara Farm Care. This tool provides precise weather predictions and fertilisation guidance, allowing the teacher to optimize his farming practices with unprecedented accuracy. “Knowing exactly when to apply fertiliser and understanding rainfall patterns – these aren’t luxuries. They are necessities for modern farming,” he says.

The application represents more than just a technological tool; it’s a gateway to global agricultural knowledge. Mr. Murimi can research best practices, verify product authenticity, and make informed purchasing decisions – all from his smartphone. This approach is critical in an agricultural landscape where smallholder farmers often struggle with limited resources and information. According to the Transforming Ecosystems for Jobs in Agriculture through Technology and Innovation (Tejati) initiative, Kenya’s agricultural sector is ripe for technological disruption.

William Ng’eno, country manager at Yara East Africa, highlights a significant challenge: “Most young people view agriculture as a path to poverty. They need to see economic potential.” According to Mr. Murimi, the use of technology in agriculture requires more funds, which he still lacks, and that limits him from going fully into mechanised coffee farming. As a result, he creates employment by hiring a number of local people who weed his five-acre coffee farm every weeding season.

Mr. Murimi hopes that he can get to harvesting using machines as he advances. He is also thinking of value addition, where he can do his own pulping and make his own coffee for consumption, which he can also sell. Currently, he is only doing the production of coffee on the farm and selling to local cooperative farmers.

Training programs by organizations like Yara East Africa have been crucial in providing technical knowledge, connecting young farmers with global agricultural innovations and best practices. For Mr. Murimi, technology isn’t about replacing traditional farming knowledge but enhancing it. He credits his father’s initial teachings and continues to learn from experienced local farmers. The mobile application and modern equipment complement, rather than replace, generational wisdom.

Climate change adds urgency to this transformation. Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns demand adaptive, data-driven agricultural strategies. Mr. Murimi’s approach – leveraging technology to monitor and respond to environmental changes – offers a glimpse of agricultural resilience.

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