Strengthening cooperative governance and coffee value addition
Revitalising Tenges Farmers Co-operative Society for climate-resilient livelihoods in Baringo county, Kenya.
Tenges members receive training on coffee production and management (Photo: Kibet Lenge/Tenges Farmers Co-operative Society)
Founded in 1988 by 100 farmers in Baringo county in Kenya, Tenges Farmers Co-operative Society supports smallholder producers engaged in dairy and coffee production.
Over time, the cooperative grew into an important marketing platform for local farmers. But by 2022 it faced significant challenges, including weak governance systems, mounting debt, limited technical capacity, inadequate coffee-processing equipment, low aggregation volumes and poor access to quality planting materials.
These constraints suppressed its productivity, reduced member incomes, discouraged young people and women participation, and left the cooperative struggling financially.
Following the election of a new leadership team in 2022, Tenges embarked on an ambitious programme to rebuild its governance, strengthen its business operations and create a more resilient future for its members.
Forest and Farm Facility activities
In 2023, the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) awarded Tenges a grant of US$30,000 to strengthen its governance, financial management, climate resilience and coffee value-chain development.
Members received training in leadership, business management and sustainable production. Grant resources also financed 17 portable coffee-pulping machines, helping farmers improve quality and reduce post-harvest losses.
FFF further linked the cooperative to the E4Impact business incubation programme and strengthened its market and institutional partnerships.
Significance of impact
FFF support contributed to rapid growth in Tenges’ membership from 746 to 1,088 members by 2025 and improved financial performance. Coffee revenues increased substantially, while higher-quality parchment coffee attracted better prices.
Member share capital increased significantly, enabling the cooperative to strengthen its agro-input business and improve access to finance. The cooperative also established a nursery producing coffee seedlings that support agroforestry, soil conservation and climate adaptation.
Conclusion
FFF support enabled Tenges Farmers Co-operative Society to rebuild its governance systems, expand its value addition and improve its market competitiveness.
The cooperative is now financially stronger, better connected to markets and positioned to deliver long-term climate-resilient livelihoods for its members.
Further reading
News: FAO helps to empower forest and farm producers in Kenya, FAO Regional Office for Africa (2019)