Agriculture Ministers from 25 African Coffee growing countries have signed a declaration in Nairobi to have coffee included in the list of strategic commodities under the Africa Union. Dubbed the ‘Nairobi Declaration’, the agreement seeks to ensure that coffee is given more attention in the continent in terms of being financed adequately. Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya said signing of the declaration is a big milestone in the history of the coffee sector in the African continent. Munya highlighted that the anchoring of coffee onto the African Union shall go a long way towards unlocking the much-needed resources for revitalization of the coffee industry in Africa and therefore support by Member States thus marshalling the AU to admit coffee in its framework meaning that coffee farmers shall benefit. He said there was a need of creating an environment where coffee farmers could thrive in, assuring of the Governments’ commitment to ensuring that coffee farmers in the country benefited from their hard-earned produce by curbing middlemen who exploit the farmers.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 28, 2022 14:37 UTC