Kenya, Gachuiro AB
Gachuiro washing station is located on the eastern side of Mt. Kenya National Park in the Karatina Municipality of Nyeri County, Kenya. Established in 1988, it is one of four active washing stations owned by the Kiama Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS), alongside its sister factories Kiangundo, Ichuga, and Kiamaina.
Gachuiro serves 401 cooperative farmer members (204 men and 197 women) who cultivate coffee trees on local shambas at elevations ranging from 1,700 to 1,950 meters above sea level. After harvesting, farmers deliver their coffee cherries to Gachuiro, where they are processed and dried under the expert management of David Kamau, the former manager of Kiangundo. The processed coffee is then transported to Nairobi for sale, either directly or through the auction system. Gachuiro employs five permanent staff members and two additional seasonal workers.
Recently, Gachuiro upgraded to digital scales, enhancing accountability for both farmers and clerks during coffee cherry deliveries. The factory grounds also feature a model coffee farm and a macadamia grove, which are valuable resources for training cooperative members on best agricultural practices and the benefits of intercropping.
About Kiama Farmers’ Cooperative Society
Kiama FCS was formed in 2005 through the merger of two existing cooperatives. It now supports around 2,500 farmer members, many of whom inherited their farms from their parents who were part of the original cooperatives. Kiama FCS operates four washing stations in Nyeri; Gachuiro, Kiangundo, Ichuga, and Kiamaina and a cherry collection point, Inwagi. The cooperative offers pre-harvest financing to help farmers plan and invest in their crops, and it buys inputs in bulk, distributing them to members at reduced costs.
This information and these images have kindly been shared with us by our import partners Melbourne Coffee Merchants.
