Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba. Photo: Facebook
Githunguri MP Gladys Wamuchomba has urged young Kenyans to rethink the idea that formal employment or jobs abroad are the only paths to financial stability, citing coffee farming as a viable and lucrative alternative.
In a message shared on X, Wamuchomba said she made the observation while attending a coffee farmers’ Annual General Meeting in Kiharu, where several farmers were recognised for high production.
She noted that the earnings of some farmers rival, and in some cases exceed, salaries associated with white-collar jobs.
According to the MP, one of the awarded farmers produces about 20,000 kilograms of coffee, earning approximately Sh120 per kilo.
This translates to gross earnings of about Sh2.4 million in a season.
After factoring in production and land costs estimated at 50 per cent, Wamuchomba said the farmer takes home roughly Sh1.2 million over six months, or about Sh200,000 per month, before tax.
“With such an income, why do you need a job abroad?” she posed, challenging the common narrative that success for young people lies outside the country.
Her remarks come at a time when youth unemployment remains a major concern and labour migration continues to rise.
Wamuchomba linked the success of coffee farming to policy and governance, arguing that the sector can only thrive under a government that protects farmers and promotes agricultural production.
She called on young people to look beyond conventional employment and consider agribusiness as a serious economic option.
The legislator also appealed for broader support for coffee farmers to increase production and maximise returns, positioning coffee as a sector with untapped potential.
She reaffirmed her long-standing advocacy for the crop, describing coffee as both an economic asset and a source of national pride.
“My coffee, my pride,” Wamuchomba said, underscoring her message that agriculture, if well-managed, can offer sustainable livelihoods for Kenya’s youth.