By Robert Mutasi 
Uasin Gishu County has stepped up efforts to strengthen its coffee industry following the groundbreaking of a new Coffee Innovation, Training and Nursery Centre in Kapsuswa, Kamagut Ward, Turbo Sub-County.
The facility, established on the Boit family farm owned by Charles Boit, is expected to provide farmers with practical training, modern technologies and improved access to knowledge aimed at increasing coffee productivity, quality and value addition.
Hundreds of coffee farmers and agricultural stakeholders from across Uasin Gishu attended the groundbreaking ceremony, where they were introduced to technologies designed to improve farm management, weed control and coffee processing.
County Coffee Officer Nicholas Maritim, representing the Uasin Gishu County Government, said the centre would provide growers with a practical platform to learn modern farming techniques and access innovations that can improve both yields and coffee quality.
“This Innovation, Training and Coffee Nursery Centre will give our farmers a practical platform to learn modern techniques, exchange experiences and access new technologies that can raise both yields and quality,” Maritim said.
He said the county government remained committed to supporting coffee production as an important cash crop and source of income for farmers.
The centre will also serve as a learning and demonstration facility where farmers can test new technologies and share experiences on coffee production.
Among the technologies demonstrated during the event were modern weeding equipment, boom sprayers and eco-pulper systems. The innovations are expected to help farmers reduce production costs, improve efficiency and enhance the quality of processed coffee.
Maritim said the centre would serve farmers from different parts of Uasin Gishu and provide opportunities for practical learning and knowledge exchange.
“The Kapsuswa Centre of Excellence will serve as a learning hub for farmers from every corner of the county,” he said.
The Boit farm has a history dating back to 1961, when the late Paul Kiplimo Boit acquired the land. The farm was initially used for cattle rearing and maize production before evolving into a mixed agricultural enterprise.
Coffee trials began on the farm in the 1980s. Commercial coffee production resumed in 2023 with technical support from the Coffee Research Institute in Kitale.
The establishment of the innovation centre is expected to build on that experience by giving farmers greater exposure to modern coffee production and processing methods.
Organisers said the facility would also provide a platform for farmers to test new ideas before adopting them on their farms, with a focus on improving productivity, quality and returns across the coffee value chain.
The initiative comes as Uasin Gishu seeks to expand and modernise its agricultural sector by promoting technologies that can help farmers improve production while reducing operational costs.
Through training, demonstration and access to improved technologies, the Kapsuswa centre is expected to play a role in supporting coffee farmers and strengthening the crop’s value chain in the county.