Insecurity is a major challenge facing farmers all over Africa. For a farmer to have value for his or her produce there should be safety not only for his yields but for his family and property.
Ndumberi Coffee Growers Co-operative society faced a big blow in 2012 when one of its coffee factories was broken in to by thieves stealing around 90 bags of coffee worth 4 million Kenya shillings. This was coffee produced by the 2,800 farmers belonging to the co-operative society.
This meant that the loss had a direct bearing to the small scale coffee farmer because it is the earning from the coffee that the farmers depend on as a major source of income. Such a loss means less income. It was only good luck that Ndumberi Coffee Growers Co-opearative Society have insured its coffee and the theft was compensated.
Using premium from Fairtrade coffee, the community proposal to set up a police post near one of Ndumberi’s primary factory, Gaita factory was fully supported by Ndumberi Society management. A building was constructed to accommodate enough police officers who patrol the area. One room was specially built as an armory to keep the weapons.
The residents are now happy that this will bring more development in the area because they are assured of their safety.
“Theft was too much in this area. I had a farm of rabbits which were all stolen by thieves,” said David Mungai, who has more than 550 coffee trees and also does dairy, goat and poultry farming.
Peter Mbugua, the Ndumberi Coffee Growers Co-operative Society manager adds that it was high time consumers bought more Fairtrade coffee so that the community can benefit more.
Formed in 1961, Ndumberi Coffee Growers Co-operative Society has been producing the best FairTrade certified coffee. It was Fairtrade certified in 2008.
http://www.fairtrade.or.ke/fairtrade-in-action/ndumberi-coffee-growers-co-operative-society-gives-focus-on-security-health-and-safe-water/
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