TropiGlobe blog

Nestled on the southern flanks of Mount Kenya, Kirinyaga County is a verdant paradise of tea plantations, coffee estates, and rice paddies—but beneath its fertile surface, a subtler story unfolds. While Kenya boasts over 970 confirmed mineral occurrences across 15 counties (notably Kitui, Embu, Tana River, and others), Kirinyaga doesn't make the headlines for mining booms.Its geology, dominated by Tertiary-Quaternary volcanic rocks from the Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya complex, hints at untapped potential rather than active extraction. Think phonolites, basalts, and trachytes—igneous formations rich in silicates, but light on economic heavy-hitters. So, which minerals do we have in Kirinyaga? Based on geological surveys and databases like Mindat.org, the county's mineral wealth is modest and largely unexplored. Here's a breakdown of what's known (or suspected) to occur, drawn from volcanic compositions and regional analogies. Note: No large-scale mining happens here; ...

 Brewed Awakening: Kirinyaga Coffee Farmers Ride a Wave of Reforms and Rewards in 2025 In the misty highlands of Kirinyaga County, where the volcanic soils cradle coffee bushes like old friends, 2025 has been a year of bitter-sweet transformation for the region's 150,000+ smallholder farmers. Once synonymous with exploitation and dwindling yields, Kirinyaga's coffee sector—producing 40,000 tons annually and generating KSh 2.8 billion in revenue—has seen a dramatic turnaround. From record payouts that filled wallets to fierce protests over payment reforms, the past 11 months have brewed a potent mix of hope, hustle, and hard-won gains. As the 2025/2026 season looms, let's percolate through the headlines shaping these farmers' fortunes. Record Payouts: A Cherry on Top of Reforms If early 2025 was a wake-up call for Kirinyaga's coffee growers, it came with a caffeine kick. In April, 27 of the county's 75 wet mills announced payouts ranging from KSh 100 to KSh 145 p...

In the heart of Kenya's Central Region, Kirinyaga County stands as a beacon of progress, its lush hills and vibrant communities a testament to resilient leadership. Since her election in 2017 as one of only three women governors in the country, Anne Waiguru has steered Kirinyaga through transformative years, re-elected in 2022 for a second term. Drawing from her background as Kenya's first Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning, Waiguru has brought a technocratic edge to governance, focusing on economic empowerment, health, infrastructure, and inclusivity. Her vision, encapsulated in the groundbreaking Mountain Cities Blueprint—the country's first sub-national 15-year development plan—has guided Kirinyaga toward sustainable growth, lifting livelihoods and fostering hope. As of her 2025 State of the County Address, the results speak volumes: poverty reduced from 23% to 21%, impacting over 52,000 households, and the county's Gross County Product surging from KSh 11...

 Roots in the Soil Dry Rice Farming in Kirinyaga County, Kenya In the shadow of Mount Kenya’s snow-capped peaks, Kirinyaga County is best known for its lush tea estates and vibrant flower greenhouses. Yet, in the lower reaches of Mwea and the rolling hills of Gichugu, a quieter, tougher crop is making a comeback: dryland rice. Unlike the flooded paddies of the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, dry rice farming relies on rainfall, resilient varieties, and farmer ingenuity. It’s a story of adaptation, revival, and food security in a region where every drop of water counts. From Flood to Firm Ground Rice has been grown in Kirinyaga since the 1950s, when the Mwea-Tebere Irrigation Scheme transformed arid plains into East Africa’s largest rice bowl. But not all land is suitable for irrigation. On the county’s rain-fed slopes and marginal soils, upland rice—locally called ng’aragu ya mũkaro (rice of the dry land)—offers a low-cost alternative. Dry rice farming surged in the 2010s as climate variab...

In the world of rice, few innovations have sparked as much hope for smallholder farmers as NERICA—the New Rice for Africa. Born from a cross between high-yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa) and resilient African rice (Oryza glaberrima), NERICA varieties are drought-tolerant, early-maturing, and nutrient-efficient. They were developed to thrive in rain-fed uplands where traditional rice struggles. In Kirinyaga County, Kenya, NERICA has become the backbone of dryland rice farming, turning marginal soils into food and income. Below is a detailed guide to the most widely grown NERICA varieties in Kenya, with agronomic traits, performance data, and farmer insights from Kirinyaga and beyond. NERICA 1 Parentage: WAB 56-104 × CG 14 Maturity: 95–100 days Yield Potential: 4.5–6.0 t/ha (with good management) Plant Height: 90–110 cm Grain Type: Long, slender Key Traits: High tillering (12–18 tillers/plant) Moderate drought tolerance Resistant to rice blast and African rice gall midge Good weed comp...

Nestled on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya, Kirinyaga County is a land where volcanic soils meet equatorial sunshine, creating one of East Africa’s most fertile agricultural belts. While tea and coffee dominate the headlines, a quieter revolution has been unfolding in its valleys and plateaus: floriculture. From the misty mornings of Kagio to the sun-drenched fields of Kerugoya, Kirinyaga has emerged as a powerhouse in Kenya’s cut-flower industry, supplying roses, carnations, and hypericum to supermarkets and florists across Europe and beyond.  The Roots of a Floral Empire Floriculture in Kirinyaga traces its origins to the early 2000s, when large-scale commercial farms began experimenting with rose cultivation under greenhouse conditions. The county’s altitude (1,200–1,800 meters above sea level), cool nights, and abundant water from the Nyamindi and Ragati rivers provided ideal growing conditions. By 2010, smallholder farmers—many organized into cooperatives—had joined the boo...

In the vibrant digital landscape of faith-based content, few creators manage to blend spiritual upliftment with the lush beauty of tropical life quite like Ionut Nancy. With her channel—accessible at tropiglobetreasures.com and hosted under the handle @TropiGlobe—Nancy has carved out a unique niche where gospel music, personal testimony, and the serene backdrop of Kenya’s equatorial landscapes converge. A Soul-Stirring Welcome   The channel’s tagline sets the tone:   “Welcome to Iont Nancy channel – where gospel meets the tropics in songs that lift your spirit and soothe your soul!   This isn’t mere marketing—it’s a promise delivered through 34 thoughtfully produced videos that resonate with authenticity. From acapella renditions of classic hymns to original compositions infused with Swahili and English lyrics, Nancy’s voice carries the warmth of a Sunday morning service under an open sky. Content That Transcends Screens   While many gospel channe...