KISUMU, Kenya– About 40,000 smallholder farmers have reasons to smile following an initiative between The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Cereal Growers Association (CGA).
The first phase of the program has been earmarked to enhance agricultural production in Kisumu, Nakuru and Kakamega Counties, thus increasing the national food basket.
Based on the expected results, the initiative will be spread to 32 counties to benefit over 600,000 farmers across the country.
Farmers Service Centres
In consultation with the local community and the counties governments, an all-in-one Farmers Service Centres (FSCs) operated by agripreneurs will be established.
“It will provide vital agricultural services such as input supply, mechanisation, extension services, market access, financial services, and farmer training.”
In light of the foregoing, the County Government of Kisumu and CGA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to set up a public-private partnership (PPP).
The PPP is geared towards hugely transforming the lives of local smallholder farmers by collaborating in different initiatives.
At the recent MOU signing ceremony, CGA’s Business Partnerships and Development Lead, Dr Osiya Mwanje said that the program is aimed at enhancing sustainable agri-smart practices.
“Despite soaring population density and urbanisation, these farm practices are capable of addressing rising issues like food insecurity, reduced land sizes and climate change,” he said.
GIZ Policy Advisor Evans Asena, revealed that 15 FSCs will be set in Kisumu to train agripreneurs and registered farmers on agroecology, climate-smart agriculture and sustainable food systems.
115 Agricultural Extension Officers Deployed
On his part, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) of Agriculture, Kenneth Onyango, lauded the partnership terming it a game changer for improving agricultural extension services among the lakeside county farmers.
“This project will create strong building blocks and robustly upscale our food production agendas,” he emphasised.
This position was affirmed by the County Director for Agriculture and Irrigation, Eng. Walter Odum, who said that they have already deployed 115 agricultural extension officers across 35 wards and seven sub-counties.
“Presently, we have 4,000 farmers being served by one agricultural extension officer. The FSC model will complement these efforts,” Odum said.
However, he said that adopting and scaling the FSC model would bridge the persistent gap in extension services, especially in underserved areas.
“This is going to help us build a system that reaches farmers with practical skills and innovations needed to enhance productivity,” said Eng. Odum.
Similarly, CGA is undertaking various projects like the Farm to Market Alliance project (FtMA), Sustainable Farming and Inclusive Markets (SFIM).
Other notable ones include the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the Upscaling and Institutionalisation of the FSC Model in Kenya (UPIK-K) in the three counties.
This new project, in partnership with GIZ Kenya, aims to integrate sustainable practices within farming communities and institutionalise the FSC Model.
Farmers Forum
To fas-track the initiative’s implementation, a seminar was convened for farmers drawn across Kisumu county.
Various speakers reiterated that farmers will benefit tremendously from expert’s advisory counsel, access to wider markets for their produce, and several agricultural services.
Other representatives who witnessed the MOU signing were CGA Project Officer Duncan Oalo, Regional Agribusiness Coordinator, Esther Magambo, GIZ-Kisumu officers and various Kisumu-based Farmer Support Cooperatives (FSCs).
“To improve farm production, it’s key to impart farmers with practical skills and innovations needed to enhance productivity,” the forum concluded.
