KAI Coffee and Tea Trade Protection

The Kenya Association of Intellects (KAI) recognises that coffee and tea are not only Kenya’s leading export crops but also the lifeline of millions of smallholder farmers, families, and rural communities. Despite their value, the sectors face exploitation, price manipulation, rogue cartels, and unfair trade practices that deny farmers their rightful earnings and threaten Kenya’s reputation in global markets.

To restore fairness, dignity, and sustainability, KAI has established the Coffee and Tea Trade Protection Initiative — a program aimed at safeguarding farmers, protecting investors, and promoting transparency in the value chain.

Challenges in the Coffee and Tea Sectors

• Price Manipulation: Farmers often receive minimal returns compared to the global market price.
• Middlemen Exploitation: Brokers and cartels erode farmers’ profits through unfair deductions.
• Delayed Payments: Farmers wait months, sometimes years, to receive their dues.
• Weak Cooperative Governance: Some SACCOs and societies mismanage or embezzle farmers’ money.
• Lack of Access to Global Markets: Farmers are excluded from direct trade opportunities.
• Climate and Sustainability Risks: Unsustainable practices threaten long-term productivity.

What KAI Coffee and Tea Trade Protection Stands For

1. Farmer Rights Protection – Ensuring farmers are fairly compensated for their crops.
2. Transparency in Trade – Advocating for digital traceability of sales, pricing, and payments.
3. Market Access – Linking farmers and cooperatives directly to local and international buyers.
4. Legal Safeguards – Providing arbitration, mediation, and legal advisory in trade disputes.
5. Policy Advocacy – Working with government to strengthen laws that protect producers.
6. Sustainability and Climate Action – Promoting environmentally friendly farming and fair-trade certification.
7. Capacity Building – Training farmers on financial literacy, cooperative management, and export readiness.

KAI’s Commitment

The Kenya Association of Intellects is committed to restoring confidence in the coffee and tea sectors by:

• Standing against rogue cartels and unfair middlemen.
• Protecting both local and foreign investors in Kenya’s trade.
• Ensuring farmers and communities benefit directly from their hard work.
• Positioning Kenya as a global leader in ethical coffee and tea trade.

Conclusion

Coffee and tea are not just commodities — they are Kenya’s heritage, pride, and economic backbone. Protecting this trade means protecting livelihoods, strengthening the economy, and ensuring justice for farmers.

KAI believes that every bean and every leaf harvested by a farmer deserves fair trade, fair price, and fair dignity.