Farmers have often been frustrated by post-harvest losses they encounter due to poor post-harvest handling processes, especially storage. But following the E-warehouse programme intervention in Meru County, Martha Gatura is no longer worried about the vermin that often attacked her grains. 

After spending time with Joseph, a resident of Nchooro Village in Tigania, you realise his passion for what he does. He seamlessly explains the various topics involved in training other farmers. He perfectly fits his role as a Village Knowledge Worker (VKW), and is full of appreciation for the E-warehouse programme

“Before Farm Concern International, we were working with other farmers in a self help group. We would often invite the Ministry of Agriculture to teach us. One time, the Ministry told us they had visitors from FCI. The FCI team asked us for someone who can speak English and Swahili so that he could teach the rest. I was one of the two people selected but the group elected me. 

“After that, they started training us on using technology. We formed our Commercial Villages which are made up of Commercial Producer Groups. Since then, things changed for the better,” Joseph said.

As the VKW, Joseph was given a smart phone where he registered all the farmers in the Commercial Village. Each farmer has a unique ID.

“This is the same number we use to track the farmers bags of grains. When the farmers bring the bags to the store, we write it down and attach it to the bag. This makes it easier to track what farmer has worked with." 

The smart phone comes with a CKW search application, developed by the Grameen Foundation, the implementing partner in E-Warehouse. From a simple click, Joseph is able to access information on different topics such as preparation, planning, and harvesting of grains. From this knowledge, he is able to prepare a topic and train the rest of the CV members.

“Every week, I prepare lessons on different topics and train about three CPGs,” he says.

Joseph says they have experienced the impact of information from the E-warehouse program. It also saves them time, because the information is available on the phone.

“Before FCI came into the picture, we did not have much knowledge, and this was affecting our production. For example, we now know which varieties to plant for short and long rains. We know which ones do well in the short rains, and which do well in the long rains. We also now know when to do top dressing (application of manure and fertilizer)” he says. 

Joseph would waste a lot of seeds because he did not know the proper way to plant and space. However, he was able to access information on the proper spacing for maize.

After adopting the proper farming techniques, Joseph harvested 18 bags from his three acre farm, an increase from the 12 bags in the previous season. “We also used to sell 1kg of maize at Kshs 12. After FCI, we now sell at Kshs 25. In fact, right now we are selling at Kshs 37,” he adds.

From the increased sales, Joseph was able to expand their house by one more room.

“I am very thankful for Farm Concern,” he concludes. 

Members of Aten Commercial Village (CV), in Western Kenya have experienced increased sales of up to Kshs 15,000,000 (USD 16,3715.85) per month as a result of adopting improved cassava varieties, and proper drying procedures. After trainings conducted by Farm Concern International under the Kenya Cassava Village Processing Initiative supported by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by FCI, Aten CV adopted these new varieties and procedures leading to increased productivity.  

“With the new variety, one acre can give you 50 tonnes. With the old, you could not even get 20 tonnes. It would also take as long as two years to mature. The new variety matures in eight months. In two years, I harvest twice,” says Moses Odware, the CV Chairman.

Additionally, FCI linked Aten CV to formal and informal traders. The group sells cassava chunks to Isinya and Malaba markets. The CV is doing scheduled production in order to meet the demand from traders. 

During the rainy season, the demand for clean cassava goes up. Aten CV has adopted proper drying procedures in order to meet the market demand. They supply Malaba market twice a week with 100 Tonnes of Cassava cuttings. In a month, they supply 500-700 tonnes at Kshs 30-35 per kg, making Kshs 15,000,000 (USD 16,3715.85) per month.

The group attributes this market opportunity to adopting proper drying procedures. The Commercial Village members have a mutual collective center where the trader picks the cassava, saving on transport cost. 

From the sales they make, the group deposits their money in their CV account where they save their money collectively. 

The group currently has Kshs 8,000, 000 (USD 87315.12) in their account and has bought one acre of land. 

Thirty two percent of Kenya’s population consists of youth aged 25-54 but most of them are unemployed. Those from rural areas often flock to towns such as Nairobi City to look for casual jobs. Due to job scarcity some join crime. However, youths in Kieni County are prospering through farming, under the Domestic Markets Regional Programme implemented by Farm Concern International with support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

At a recent interview, Chief Lydiah Wachira applauded FCI’s efforts to commercialize onion farming in Kieni. In her five years serving the local residents, she says she has seen crime reduction, which she attributes to youth being involved in farming in the area.

“I was introduced to FCI in 2012 and I have seen a positive impact. They have really helped my area because most of the youth have returned to farming and are busy. Most of the youth were stealing but now have their own money. They would steal cows, break into houses, but this has reduced,” she says. “In the future, I want to see the standards of living improve. I hope to see people in better houses, and all the children going to school,” says Chief Lydiah.

One such young man is Paul Gichohi from Embaringo Commercial Village in Central Kenya. At 25 years, he has set an example for his fellow youth by engaging in onion farming. He started farming under the Programme in 2011 by planting onions on a quarter acre piece of land that he hired. He sold the onions for Kshs 80,000.

Motivated by the gains, he rented an additional three quarter of an acre. He made Kshs 120,000 in the first season, and Kshs 180,000 in the second season.  In 2013, he further increased his acreage to 1.5 acres and made Kshs 200,000. In 2014, he made Kshs 200,000.

Paul proudly talks about his mentor, Daniel Gakuo. “I had heard about Daniel Gakuo, so our CV chairman invited him to train us with the rest of the youth in our youth group. He shared with us how he left employment to go into farming. He is my role model because he showed me that I don’t have to be employed and he taught us how to farm without investing a lot of money. He also encouraged us to believe in ourselves,” Paul says.

Earlier in the day, Paul had gone for one of the training sessions that Mr. Gakuo offers. “Today, I learned that the rosabella hybrid seed is doing well, and I intend to plant it next season,” he avers. 

Paul says he has been able to buy half an acre piece of land and build his own house and he is also supporting his siblings in education, lightening the burden on his parents.