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Growing More Than Coffee
In the rolling green hills of Nandi County, Kenya, the story of the Kapsaos Coffee Growers Cooperative Society is one of grit, unity, and vision. For years, the farmers of this community poured their effort into producing high quality coffee, but limited infrastructure and unstable prices often kept their ambitions out of reach.
In 2021, Kapsoas partnered with Agriterra and things began to change. With Agriterra’s guidance in sustainable service delivery, extension strategy, access to financing and facilitation of staff salaries through the JJJ model, Kapsaos started to dream bigger towards its Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of increased production and improved quality. A KES 41.5million input loan, facilitated through Agriterra’s support, helped farmers access essential fertilizers and seedlings. Within a short span, production tripled from 800 tonnes to 2.4 million tonnes.
But success brought a new challenge. The cooperative’s drying facilities, built for smaller harvests, were suddenly overwhelmed. Coffee began to pile up, and the quality that Kapsaos was known for was at risk.‍
Turning a Challenge into an Opportunity
Rather than looking outward for another loan, Kapsaos looked inward to its members. Agriterra introduced the concept of internal capitalisation,a model that encourages farmers to invest in their own cooperative’s growth.
The leadership embraced the idea wholeheartedly. After a series of sensitisation meetings and training sessions led by Agriterra advisors, Wilfred Chepkwony and Patrick Muchiri, Kapsaos members rallied behind the bold idea of each contributing at least 50 kilos of coffee towards share capital.
The outcome was remarkable with KES 4.3 million raised, entirely from within the community.
“Without Agriterra, I don’t know where Kapsaos would be,” says Richard Magut, the cooperative’s manager. “The concept of internal capitalisation gave us the courage to build our own solutions, not wait for help from outside.”
Building with Their Own Hands
With the funds collected, Kapsaos constructed 37 new drying beds and installed two solar dryers, built by local artisans and youth. The impact was immediate. The cooperative regained full control over its drying process, improved coffee quality, and reduced post-harvest losses.
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As quality improved, so did farmer incomes. Coffee from Kapsaos began commanding better prices at Kenya’s national coffee auctions, and the cooperative soon became recognised among the top cooperatve in the country. The ripple effect reached beyond the farms as new jobs were created, household incomes rose, and the community economy began to thrive.
For Chairman Philomon Rop, this transformation carries deep meaning:
“Agriterra has supported us so much in the realisation of our dream. We used to think big investments were only for others, but now we know we can build them ourselves.”
 A Model for the Future
Today, Kapsaos Coffee Growers Cooperative stands as a model of farmer-led investment. A living example of what happens when knowledge, trust, and ownership take root. By investing their own resources, members strengthened governance, secured financial independence, and built long-term resilience.
The Kapsaos experience is proof that the most sustainable change doesn’t have to come from external aid. It can be grown from within. With theright guidance and a belief in their own potential, farmers can grow their coffeeand in turn grow their communities, opportunities, and futures.
Through internal capitalisation, the farmers of Kapsaos have shown that real progress begins when farmers invest in themselves and take ownership of their work.
Muchiri, the Cooperative Advisor encourages Kapsaos Cooperative to continue building on this model and urges other cooperatives toreplicate the approach for sustainable infrastructure development.
Kapsaos’ story embodies Agriterra’s spirit of “Sowing today. Thriving tomorrow.” By choosing to invest in their cooperative now through internal capitalisation, Kapsaos farmers have planted seeds of prosperity that will sustain future generations. It is a reminder that meaningful growth doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with small, deliberate actions that transform communities over time.
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