Kenya: Kiambu Women Redefining Roles in Coffee Sector

Feb 28, 2025 | Yvonne Wangeci
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Women in Kiambu are transforming Kenya’s coffee industry through empowerment and innovation, challenging traditional barriers and redefining their role in the sector. Coffee, Kenya’s second-largest agricultural export after tea, remains a pillar of the nation’s economy. In 2023, the crop generated over KSh 25 billion (USD 200 million) in export revenues, with Kiambu County contributing 15% of the country’s premium Arabica beans.

Women make up 70% of Kenya’s coffee labour force, according to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). From planting seedlings to sorting beans, their work is tireless. Yet, until recently, few women owned land, accessed credit, or had a voice in cooperative societies.