Kenyan macadamia farmers are facing significant financial losses due to a sharp decline in produce quality, leading to unsold stock and collapsed buyer confidence.

• Over 200,000 smallholder farmers are affected, largely in counties like Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu, and Meru.
• Key issues contributing to the decline include premature harvesting, inadequate pest control, poor post-harvest handling, and minimal investment in modern farming practices.
• The fragmented marketing system, dominated by informal brokers, is blamed for pushing farmers towards premature harvesting and compromising quality, threatening Kenya's global market credibility.