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: 10 May 2021; Hits: 2410

4,000 western Kenya farmers get training & market from Farm Africa project

farmafrica

By George Munene

The Farm Africa Growing Futures project is helping over 4,000 young farmers in western Kenya acquire the skills to grow vegetables that are in high demand then linking them to domestic and international markets.

The funding is focused on western Kenya where 80 per cent of the unemployed population is under 35, with farming employing 70 per cent of the country’s rural population.

The youth aged between 18-35 years are trained to acquire technical assistance in horticultural production and agronomy, helping the farmers produce the quantity and quality of produce demanded by high-value buyers and certification schemes.

They are provided with access to agricultural technologies such as drip-irrigation systems, fertilisers, seeds and pesticides.

The farmers are further linked to domestic and international markets through training to help them meet export markets’ standards. Once trained farmer groups then facilitated to secure export contacts guaranteeing a market for their produce.

Founded in 2011, Farm Africa is helping farmers in Trans-Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties capitalise on the growing demand for produce such as French beans, mangetouts, kale, tomatoes and cabbages.

“Growing Futures focuses on the youth who are unable to continue schooling and are interested in venturing into agriculture. They acquire technical skills on crop production as well as business skills on how to run their farms as a business,” explained the project’s coordinator Mary Nyale.

For Joseph Kiplagat, the project has been a godsend. After failing to secure an office job, the father of four ventured into agriculture.

Initially struggling to make ends meet while sorely growing maize, through Farm Africa, he shifted to cultivating a mix of vegetables which has enabled him maximise on his profits.

The project which also operates in Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and DR Congo is funded by supermarket chain Aldi UK. Medicor Foundation and UK aifd.

Farm Africa: 254 20 273 1664/ 254 721 576 531/ 254 734 721 208

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: 03 May 2021; Hits: 4313

Kenya Meat Commission begins direct livestock purchases

Kenya Meat Commission

By George Munene

The Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) will offer direct livestock purchases from farmers in an effort to better their returns.

The agency which was placed under military stewardship last year will also review livestock pricing every three months as well as buying animals by use of live weight as opposed to carcass weight.

Speaking at a farmer’s sensitisation effort in Mandera County, DOD procurement officer Lieutenant Colonel Waluke explained; “Our purpose of coming to Mandera today was to sensitize the farmers and tell them about how livestock can be procured at Kenya Meat Commission and familiarize ourselves with the challenges farmers face.”

For Garissa livestock keepers, KMC announced the buying price for cattle with a live weight of 350 kilograms and above to be Sh180 per kg for bulls and steers while cows will fetch Sh170/kg.

The cattle will need to have attained a minimum weight of 200kg to 180kg. For this weight class farmers will earn Sh150 per kg for bulls and Sh140kg per cow.

Goats and sheep will need to weigh at least 20 kilograms to be accepted. A buck will fetch Sh220 per kg with a doe being bought for Sh210 per kg. Rams will fetch Sh210 per kg while ewes will go for Sh200 per kg.

At a farmers' meeting at Garissa, KMC’s team leader Lt Col Martin Maluki said since being moved from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Defence the Athi River-based abattoir has upped its capacity from seven cows a day to 200 and will be slaughtering 6,000 animals every month.

This improved capacity is hoped will lead to the plant’s revival in its march to profitability as it provides ranchers and organized livestock trading groups a ready market.

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: 28 April 2021; Hits: 3055

Meru sunflower farmers get ready market from climate adaptation project

Meru sunflower farmers

By George Munene

Over 3,000 small-scale sunflower farmers in Meru County have from the 26th of April started receiving cash payments from the Tujiinue Tena climate change and COVID-19 adaptation project launched in September of last year.

Farmers who cultivated the crop last season will be paid on delivering their produce to weighing centers across the county. As further good news to farmers, Dr Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), the civil society organization behind the project indicated that the price paid to farmers, an initial Sh30 per kilogram had been increased to Sh40 on the kilo. He urged them to continue growing sunflowers since the market for their produce is ready.

The project is a partnership between farmers, the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, BIDCO Africa and Kenya Seed Company.

PACJA handled climate-smart community sensitization and mobilization. Seed-producing firm Kenya Seed Company distributed sunflower seeds and conducted farmer extension services to support farmers. BIDCO Africa for its part committed to purchasing all the produce assuring farmers a ready market under a contractual farming model.

“The 3000 small-scale farmers receiving their payment today is a testimony of what private-public partnership can do in furthering adaptation initiatives,” said Dr Mithika Mwenda.

With the deleterious effects of the Covid-19 lockdown and the impasse between the Kenya and Somalia government which has seen the cessation of the stimulant's entry into the country the incomes of Meru farmers where khat is the main cash crop have been greatly affected.

“The lockdown has served as a blessing in disguise as farmers now realize that there is an alternative to growing miraa,” Jacob Kirimi, the project coordinator pointed out.

The project’s early success in Meru County he hoped will be a harbinger for similar projects in Kenya, and around Africa that will offer faster opportunities for disbursement of climate finance to adaptation projects across the globe. This still stands at 25 per cent against the agreed goal of increasing climate adaptation finance to 50 per cent.

Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance: +254208075808

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