Kenya is enlisting its diplomatic missions abroad to market local coffee and promote coffee-growing farms as tourist destinations.
This, according to the government, is a strategy aimed at expanding export opportunities while tapping into the growing potential of agricultural tourism.
Through the coffee diplomacy desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government is mobilising its embassies, high commissions and ambassadors to promote Kenyan coffee, connect producers with international buyers and encourage coffee enthusiasts to visit farms and experience the journey from bean to cup.
Edward Githaiga, who oversees coffee diplomacy in the office of the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr Korir Sing’Oei, said the initiative was designed to address gaps in international marketing while positioning Kenya as a destination for coffee tourism.
“We want to bring the world to Kenya, the buyers to Kenya, so that they can now have a taste of not just our coffee, but actually the origin, going to the farm and seeing how the coffee is being processed and what happens in the back end,” Githaiga said early on Wednesday morning.
He was speaking during the opening session of the East Africa Coffee Market & Conference (EACMC 2026) taking place from October 28-30 at the Visa Oshwal Centre, Nairobi.
He said the diplomatic missions were expected to play an active role in promoting Kenyan coffee in their host countries, identifying prospective buyers and raising awareness of the country’s coffee-growing regions as destinations for international visitors.
“The approach combines commercial diplomacy with tourism promotion,” he noted. This, according to the strategy, allows Kenya to market both its coffee and the farms, landscapes and production processes behind the product’s global reputation.
Githaiga said the government was considering an Afro Coffee Village conference and exhibition, potentially around July or August – at the peak of tourist visits into the country – to bring international buyers and other industry players to Kenya.
“Coffee is also a tourist product,” he said, noting that coffee enthusiasts could be attracted to visit farms and experience Kenyan coffee at its source.
The proposed initiative would bring together the State Department for Foreign Affairs, agricultural and cooperative agencies, coffee-sector organisations and private-sector partners to develop Kenya’s position as a regional coffee trade and tourism hub.
For farmers, the anticipated benefits extend beyond selling beans.
“Farm visits could create additional income through tourism experiences, while giving visitors a closer understanding of cultivation, harvesting, processing and the work required to produce specialty coffee,” he explained the essence of coffee tourism.
According to Githaiga, Kenya’s diplomatic missions would therefore serve a dual purpose; opening international markets for local producers and promoting coffee-growing areas as destinations for travellers seeking authentic agricultural and cultural experiences.
The coffee diplomacy initiative seeks to attract international buyers and tourists while connecting Kenyan farmers to global markets.
