A coffee society emerges from the dark after years without electricity

For years, darkness dictated how far some rural communities in Kenya could go.

At Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society in Kericho County, the lack of electricity meant coffee processing stopped as soon as daylight faded, security remained a concern and workers had limited hours to handle the crop.

Today, electricity is changing that story.

The connection has brought more than light to Sorwot. It has helped the coffee society extend working hours, improve processing, strengthen security, digitise records and create new opportunities for farmers and workers.

Paul Kosgei, chairman of Sorwot Farmers Cooperative Society, says the village had lived without electricity since independence.

The situation had a direct impact on coffee processing. Farmers had to ensure their coffee was pulped before darkness, often forcing operations to close by around 6 p.m.

This was a challenge because harvested coffee needs to be pulped on time to protect its quality.

With electricity now available, the society can continue processing after dark. Kosgei says the change has also reduced the cost of operations because electricity is cheaper than running diesel generators.

For Sorwot, the result has been increased production, more employment and renewed confidence among farmers.

Coffee farmer Kiprotich Lang’at says electricity has made it easier to process coffee immediately after delivery, instead of allowing harvested coffee to wait until the following day.

That improvement has helped the movement of coffee from the farm to the market while giving farmers a better chance of maintaining quality and securing favourable prices.

Security has also improved. With electricity powering security lights and CCTV cameras, the society can monitor coffee deliveries and operations more effectively, reducing the risk of theft.

Kosgei says the society has also moved from analogue records to digital systems, allowing him to track individual farmers and their coffee deliveries more efficiently.

The improvements have helped rebuild farmers' trust, while coffee volumes have increased. Sorwot has also gained recognition in competitions and from international buyers, including buyers from Korea.

For workers at the society, the impact is equally visible.

Fancy Chematich, a clerk at Sorwot FCS, says electricity has transformed the coffee sorting section by allowing workers to continue late into the night. Previously, operations ended at around 5:30 p.m.

The longer working hours have created overtime opportunities while allowing the society to handle larger volumes of coffee.

Last season, the society weighed about 1.6 million kilos of coffee, with expectations of processing even more this year.

Chematich says the ambition is to eventually operate around the clock.

The experience at Sorwot shows why rural electrification is about more than putting lights in homes.

Across the Rift Valley, reliable electricity can support irrigation, milk cooling, refrigeration, welding, salons, posho mills, factories and other businesses.

In schools and health facilities, it can support digital learning, essential equipment and better services.

For communities whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and rural enterprise, access to electricity can therefore become the foundation for producing more, preserving quality, creating jobs and adding value locally.

At Sorwot, what was once a community operating according to the hours of daylight is now looking towards a future where production can continue long after sunset.

For Kosgei, that future represents more than improved coffee processing. It is a sign that a community once left in darkness can now see new possibilities ahead.