The Murang’a coffee growing region lies within Kenya’s Central Province. Nestled in the country’s interior, far inland from the coast, it is a world of verdant hills, hidden valleys, abundant rain and yes, coffee. Most farms are small, and growers tend their coffee along with food crops, bringing their harvested cherries to their local cooperative mills for processing. Home to the Kikuyu people, missionaries came to this area in the 1800’s when the Portuguese would not allow them to settle on the coast.
Coffee, tea, and cattle form the backbone of Murang’a’s economy. Macadamia nuts are grown here as well, dairies have their own cooperatives, and Murang’a’s quarries produce building stones, bricks, and sand, all income sources for local residents.