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September 30, 2019
First regional edition of the Kenya National Barista Championship competition held in Nakuru
BY LELETI JASSOR
Nakuru County held the first regional edition of the Kenya National Barista Championship competition during the weekend.
With 10 competitors looking to get the crown, 26 year old, David Gikonyo Mungai got the fist position which would see him proceed to the semi finals and later the finals in Nairobi.
In an interview with Agriculture CECM Dr. Immaculate Maina, the County Executive said the competition is a great opportunity that the youth interested in coffee could consider.
Dr. Maina added that the barista competition places Nakuru as a serious coffee producing county.
The competition which brought different baristas from the hotel industry focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging the youth and a global audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of local and regional events around the globe.
The County Government which distributed about 65,000 coffee seedlings valued at Ksh 4.9 million to farmers aims at making use of the unexploited potential in the coffee sub sector.
Sheila Adiga, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) quality assurance officer in the Coffee directorate, said that the competition was to promote the coffee industry in the county as well as create and build the barista profession among the youth.
She added that the competition would also link farmers to buyers and would act as a sensitisation medium to promote the Arabica coffee variety grown in Kenya.
The Nakuru Coffee Growers Platform which aims to promote coffee growing in Nakuru promotes the involvement of the youth in the industry as well as create a local market.
Mr. Peter Wanyeki, chairman of the platform said that, the platform would help farmers in Nakuru County brand their coffee in the near future and be able to compete in the international market.
In conclusion, Dr. Maina added that, the County is looking to strengthen the Platform that brings together all the smallholder coffee cooperatives and also to include the larger estates in the future development of the Nakuru Coffee sector.