Gikirima AA, Kenya

BACKGROUND Gikirima factory is affiliated to Kibugu Farmers Co-operative society along with the Kathakwa, Ndunduri, Ngerwe and Gicherori factories. It is located in one of Kenya’s great coffee-growing regions, Embu County. There are now 1,100 active members of the Gikirima factory and members each have on average around 1 hectare of land for coffee growing alongside tea, macadamia, beans, banana and maize. LOCATION Gikirima factory is located in the Manyata division of the Embu district close to the town of Gicherori and 14km away from Embu town centre. Gikirima is situated on the slopes of MountKenya in the well-respected coffee growing area of central Kenya. It benefits greatly from the perfect coffee growing conditions offered. Smallholder farmers in the area plant tea, maize and bananas and gravellea, macadamia and eucalyptus for shade trees. SOILS AND CLIMATE The area experiences two seasons of rainfall, the long rains from March to May and the short rains from October to December. The area has deep, well drained and fertile red volcanic soil at altitudes of 1800 metres above sea level with 1900mm of rainfall annually. On average Gikirima factory will receive 1900mm of rain per year. Production cycle follows the standard timeframe with main crop harvested October through December and fly crop harvested April through June.