By Gloria Anderson, Nairobi, Kenya
In a sector once dominated by middlemen and male decision-makers, a growing movement of Kenyan women coffee farmers is rewriting the rules of agricultural empowerment, proving that women can own, manage, and profit from the crops they cultivate.
Their journey, marked by bold reforms, collaboration, and resilience, offers valuable lessons for Ghanaian women seeking to break barriers in cocoa, coffee, and other agricultural value chains. For decades, many Kenyan farmers, particularly women, had little control over their produce. Coffee was grown on their farms, yet decisions about pricing, ownership, and exports were made elsewhere.
Speaking to Gloria Anderson on the sidelines of the IFAJ World Congress of Agricultural Journalists, Gloria Gummerus, co-founder of the North of the Rift Women in Coffee (NORT), said women must be ready to change the narrative. “As a farmer, you had no control over your coffee,” Gummerus recalled. “You grew great coffee, yet you didn’t own it. Someone in the value chain told you what to do and how much to sell it for.”
From Powerless Producers to Coffee Owners
That changed when the Kenyan government launched reforms to redefine the coffee value chain. Farmers were registered, data was collected, and ownership was restored to the producers.
“Now, the power is with the producer,” she said proudly. “We can work with our coffee straight from the farm. I can tell you which tree I picked the coffee from and which direction that tree faces. That’s a dream for coffee roasters in Europe.”
This traceability has made Kenyan coffee more marketable, attracting international buyers eager to connect with the stories behind every bean.
The Birth of a Women’s Coffee Movement
The birth of NORT started with just five women, with Gloria Gummerus leading the way. She recalls how the journey started with a simple task of needing to fulfill a coffee buyer’s demand for the supply of a full container of coffee.
“I started coffee before the rest of the group,” Gummerus said. “When I met a buyer who wanted a container of coffee, I couldn’t do it alone. So I went home and created a database of women who thought alike. We decided to work together, train together, and sell together.”
What began with fifty women dwindled to just five, but those five built something extraordinary. Today, their collective sells directly to international buyers and has maintained export contracts for more than seven years.
“It’s often said that women find it difficult to come together,” she admitted. “But unity has made us succeed. We come from different backgrounds—a beautician, a banker, a teacher, a medic—yet we listen to each other. Every idea is valid.”
Transforming Communities, One Harvest at a Time
Beyond profit, the women’s greatest achievement has been community transformation. Their success has financed education for children, supported single mothers, and empowered rural women to dream bigger.
“We’ve seen children go through school because their mothers can now afford it,” Gummerus said. “When a woman has peace to work, she takes care of her children.”
She acknowledged the contributions of organizations that directed them and built their capacity.
“Support from partners such as the International Trade Centre (ITC) and BASF has strengthened their operations through training, technology, and access to farm inputs.”
The transformation didn’t stop at ownership. Realizing the need for unity, a small group of women came together to form what is now the Kenyan Chapter of the International Women in Coffee, part of a global network of female coffee producers spanning over 100 countries.
However, challenges persist. Access to credit remains difficult due to lack of land titles, forcing the women to innovate.
“We told them, ‘don’t give us money, give us products,’” she explained. “Provide inputs and let us pay after harvest. We are innovative women. Give us five shillings and ten mouths to feed, we’ll find a way.”
Lessons for Ghanaian Women Farmers
Asked what message she had for women in Ghana, where land ownership and financing remain hurdles, her advice was simple but powerful: start small, but start.
“Begin with a small group through your church, your neighborhood, your community,” she advised. “You might start with a hundred and end with four. Don’t give up; those four will go far.”
She encouraged Ghanaian women to form local networks, benchmark with successful women’s groups in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, and seek mentorship through the global women-in-coffee network.
“We are where we are because of others,” she said. “We tell roasters, ‘We are because you are.’ Partnership is the only way forward.”
Changing Perceptions: Farming Is the New Cool
Beyond economics, Mrs. Gummerus and her peers are reshaping the image of women in agriculture, from struggling labourers to powerful entrepreneurs.
“We are looking very handsome at the table,” she laughed. “Everybody wants to work with us. You have to keep looking at that table of men, know that when they don’t give you a seat, you only need to bring your own seat.”
Her message to young Ghanaian women is clear and spirited:
“We are tough. We are built for this. The change should reflect in your lifestyle,” she said. “Stay strong, young lady seated in Ghana, farming should be sexy! And that’s exactly what we want it to be.”
The Bigger Picture
From humble beginnings to international recognition, Kenya’s women coffee producers are proving that when women are empowered, entire communities thrive. Their story is both a blueprint and inspiration for Ghanaian women ready to claim their place in agriculture’s global value chain. As Mrs. Gloria Gummerus put it best:
“Don’t wait for someone to start for you. You start and let them join you.”
