For many, Kenya is synonymous with wildlife and safaris. The country has a rich history of visitors, starting with the Portuguese and Arab traders who navigated the eastern coast of Africa, and now, the hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to experience the true African wilderness.

Kenya, like Uganda, straddles the equator and is bordered by Sudan and Ethiopia to the north, Somalia and the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the south, and Lake Victoria and Uganda to the west. The country boasts a dazzling array of wildlife, including the ‘big five’ (lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, and rhino), which can be seen in at least two major national parks. The Rift Valley, especially around Lake Turkana, has yielded hominid skulls estimated to be around 2.5 million years old.

Historically, Arabs controlled much of the East African coast until the arrival of the British in the late 19th century. Colonial settlement in the early 20th century led to the development of agriculture and the establishment of coffee plantations. Coffee was introduced to Kenya by missionaries around 1893 at Kibwezi and Bura and is now grown in 32 counties across the country.

Kenya achieved independence in 1963. According to the 2019 census, the population stands at around 46.7 million. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, employing around 80% of the population and contributing to 50% of the country’s exports, led by coffee and tea.

The principal food crops include beans, maize, rice, Irish potatoes, sorghum, cassava, and various fruits and vegetables. Kenya’s largest export earners are tea, coffee, apparel, and horticultural products. Key coffee-growing areas include Mt. Kenya, the Aberdares, Mt. Elgon, the Western Highlands, Machakos, and Taita Taveta.

• Varieties: Arabica
• Production: tbc
• Export: tbc
• Marketing system: Auction and direct sales
• Harvest season: October-December (main), April-July (fly crop)
• Port of shipment: Mombasa, Kenya
• Export destinations: Belgium, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and USA