The arrival of electricity at Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society in Kericho County has transformed coffee processing, improved security and created new opportunities for farmers and workers, ending decades of reliance on darkness and diesel-powered machinery.
Paul Kosgei, chairman of Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society, said the village had operated without electricity since independence, a situation that affected virtually every aspect of the society’s operations.
For years, coffee processing had to be completed before darkness fell, forcing the society to shut down operations at about 6pm. The limited working hours presented a challenge because harvested coffee needs to be pulped on time to maintain its quality.
Kosgei said the arrival of electricity has fundamentally changed the way the society operates.
“The government has remembered us by bringing electricity,” he said, noting that the project has brought significant changes to the coffee-growing community.
The society now has security lighting and functioning CCTV cameras, enabling staff to monitor coffee deliveries and improve security around the facility.
The transition has also moved the society’s record-keeping from analogue systems to digital operations.
Kosgei said he can now track the amount of coffee delivered by individual farmers, from the first registered member to the last, improving accountability and giving farmers greater confidence in the management of their produce.
Electricity has also reduced the cost of coffee processing because the society no longer has to depend as heavily on diesel generators.
According to Kosgei, the changes have helped restore farmers’ trust in the cooperative, while coffee volumes have doubled and employment at the society has increased.
Improved coffee quality has also raised Sorwot’s profile, with the cooperative being invited to participate in competitions and receiving recognition from buyers, including buyers from Korea.
Kosgei said the cooperative’s prospects are now brighter as it continues to improve the quality and volume of coffee produced every season.
He thanked President William Ruto and the government for supporting the electrification project, saying it had brought renewed hope and progress to coffee farmers.
Farmers process coffee on time
Coffee farmer Kiprotich Lang’at said electrification has addressed one of the biggest challenges farmers previously faced, delays in processing harvested coffee.
Before electricity was available, coffee pulping stopped once darkness set in, meaning freshly harvested coffee sometimes had to wait until the following day.
He said the delays affected both the weight and quality of coffee, ultimately undermining farmers’ chances of securing better returns.
With electricity now available, farmers can have their coffee processed even at night, improving the movement of produce from pulping to the market.
Kiprotich said buyers are now able to receive better-quality coffee, giving farmers a stronger opportunity to secure good prices.
Security has also improved, he said, with CCTV helping to reduce theft and giving farmers greater confidence that their produce is safe.
He said the changes have given coffee farmers renewed optimism about the future of the cooperative.
Longer working hours
For Sorwot FCS clerk Fancy Chematich, electricity has particularly transformed operations in the coffee sorting section.
She said workers previously had to leave at about 5:30pm because there was insufficient lighting to continue working.
The availability of electricity has allowed them to extend their working hours into the night, while also creating opportunities for workers to earn overtime.
Chematich said the increased operating hours have coincided with higher coffee volumes.
The cooperative handled up to about 1.6 million kilogrammes of coffee last season, she said, with expectations that volumes will increase further this year.
The long-term ambition is to have Sorwot FCS operating around the clock.
She said achieving 24-hour processing would allow the cooperative to handle significantly more coffee than was possible when operations had to stop early because of darkness.
Better security and office operations
Flora Maritim, who works at Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society, said electricity has also made administrative work and coffee handling easier.
The cooperative can now print and photocopy documents on site, charge phones and operate security lighting, eliminating the need for staff to travel elsewhere for basic office services.
Security lighting has become particularly important during periods when large quantities of coffee are delivered at night.
Maritim said improved security has increased farmers’ confidence in bringing their produce to the cooperative.
As more farmers deliver coffee, the society is handling larger volumes and creating additional employment opportunities for residents.
She said the jobs have helped workers earn income to support their families, while the cooperative continues to expand.
Before electrification, workers handling coffee at night faced security risks and could suffer injuries because of poor visibility. Administrative tasks such as printing and photocopying also required staff to seek services elsewhere.
Maritim said electricity could support the growth of other businesses around the cooperative as economic activity increases.
Factory operations continue into the night
Machine operator Emmanuel Cheruiyot said electricity has transformed the factory floor by allowing machinery to operate well into the night.
The machines can now run until around midnight, significantly increasing the amount of work that can be completed in a day.
Previously, the factory depended on paraffin lamps and had to shut down machinery much earlier because there was no reliable lighting.
Cheruiyot said the cooperative could grow into a larger operation if the current progress continues, creating additional opportunities for workers and the surrounding community.
For Sorwot’s coffee farmers, the electrification project has therefore gone beyond simply bringing light to a previously dark village.
It has enabled longer processing hours, reduced reliance on costly diesel generators, strengthened security, digitised operations and supported rising coffee volumes.
The cooperative’s experience also points to the wider economic impact of reliable electricity in rural areas, where improved access to power can enable agricultural enterprises to process more produce, create jobs and expand their commercial operations.
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