The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) has adopted an online bidding system as part of a new five-year strategy, improving price transparency and increasing farmer earnings.

Launching the 2026–2030 strategic plan on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSME Development, Wycliffe Oparanya, Administrative Secretary Amos Mariba stated that the move aligned with ongoing government reforms. 

The strategy placed digital trading at the centre of coffee price discovery to address historical weaknesses and deliver efficiency across the value chain.

Mariba noted that the reforms have already yielded significant results for producers. Payments to farmers have risen from between Sh20 and Sh40 per kilo of cherry to between Sh120 and Sh150. 

This growth has been supported by the Direct Settlement System and a cherry advance fund that has increased to nearly Sh10 billion.

“The strategic plan will guide the exchange in addressing weaknesses, managing risks, and delivering efficiency across the coffee value chain. These reforms are about making coffee a viable and profitable business for farmers again,” Mariba said. 

He added that the success of these measures was evident at the grassroots level, stating: “If you want to know whether the reforms are working, talk to the farmer.”

The CEO of the Exchange, Lisper Ndung’u, confirmed that the transition to online bidding has strengthened the price discovery process. 

She emphasised that the digital shift ensured that as much value as possible flowed directly back to the producers.

The 2026–2030 plan has sought to institutionalise these gains, ensuring that the Nairobi Coffee Exchange remains a modern and transparent platform for one of Kenya’s most vital export commodities.

Source: Startand Media