Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya
This study investigates the living income gap among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. It uses detailed survey data collected from coffee farmers organized in cooperatives and from coffee farm workers in Nyeri and Murang’a counties. Our analysis finds that coffee smallholders earn an average of o...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175180 |
| _version_ | 1855533850206142464 |
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| author | Boukaka, Sedi Anne Benfica, Rui |
| author_browse | Benfica, Rui Boukaka, Sedi Anne |
| author_facet | Boukaka, Sedi Anne Benfica, Rui |
| author_sort | Boukaka, Sedi Anne |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This study investigates the living income gap among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. It uses detailed survey data collected from coffee farmers organized in cooperatives and from coffee farm workers in Nyeri and Murang’a counties. Our analysis finds that coffee smallholders earn an average of only 109 KSh per day, just 35 percent of the 312 KSh living income benchmark, with the gap being particularly severe in Murang’a and among those with smaller landholdings. Sensitivity analyses show that enhancing prices paid to farmers and improving yields can partially reduce the income shortfall. For instance, doubling both parameters, especially when coupled with a 50 percent increase in farmers’ non-coffee income, lowers the incidence of households below the benchmark from more than 90 percent to about 67 percent. Yet, even under these relatively optimal conditions, the persistence of a significant gap underscores deep structural constraints in the local economy. Policy recommendations therefore call for a multidimensional approach that improves production efficiency, improves and stabilizes prices, promotes income diversification, and strengthens institutional support. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace175180 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1751802025-11-06T07:06:26Z Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya Boukaka, Sedi Anne Benfica, Rui coffee diversification smallholders poverty productivity income distribution living standards This study investigates the living income gap among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. It uses detailed survey data collected from coffee farmers organized in cooperatives and from coffee farm workers in Nyeri and Murang’a counties. Our analysis finds that coffee smallholders earn an average of only 109 KSh per day, just 35 percent of the 312 KSh living income benchmark, with the gap being particularly severe in Murang’a and among those with smaller landholdings. Sensitivity analyses show that enhancing prices paid to farmers and improving yields can partially reduce the income shortfall. For instance, doubling both parameters, especially when coupled with a 50 percent increase in farmers’ non-coffee income, lowers the incidence of households below the benchmark from more than 90 percent to about 67 percent. Yet, even under these relatively optimal conditions, the persistence of a significant gap underscores deep structural constraints in the local economy. Policy recommendations therefore call for a multidimensional approach that improves production efficiency, improves and stabilizes prices, promotes income diversification, and strengthens institutional support. 2025-06-17 2025-06-18T18:54:17Z 2025-06-18T18:54:17Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175180 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Boukaka, Sedi Anne; and Benfica, Rui. 2025. Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2342. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175180 |
| spellingShingle | coffee diversification smallholders poverty productivity income distribution living standards Boukaka, Sedi Anne Benfica, Rui Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title | Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title_full | Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title_short | Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya |
| title_sort | brewing prosperity an analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central kenya |
| topic | coffee diversification smallholders poverty productivity income distribution living standards |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175180 |
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