During the marketing season FCI focused on creating marketing linkages for the farmers in Mbeere region. Farmers have been connected to export, fresh produce and processing markets. Coordinated marketing has helped farmers to timely avail their produce to the market 

A farmer from Gatitu Commercial Producing Group (CPG) who sold 4.67 tons of Apple and Tommy mangoes to Sunny processors said, “For the first time in history my mangoes have not rot in the shamba. I’m grateful to Farm Concern International”. This was after he was connected to  traders from  Muchonoke and Gatitu producer groups who supply to Britannia Company in Uganda. In this particular transaction, 11.6 tons of Vandyke mangoes worth Ksh. 81,200 were sold. Farmers have been trained on formation of commercial producer groups. The groups are trained on good agricultural practices that enhance  better quality produce for the markets.

The farmers are also equipped with business skills enhance competitiveness in the mango value chain. As a result , farmers groups gain recognition as formidable business entities that can transact with both the  public and private sector. Prior to FCI’s intervention, most farmers in the region sold their mangoes to traders at a throw away price.

Mary Wanjira Kibara, a member of Kamaso Commercial producer group is one of the beneficiaries from PAMA project interventions. Mrs. Kibara had over 50 mango trees of Kent, Tommy, Vandyke, Sabin, Ngowe and Sensation varieties which  she planted 28 years ago .Since she began harvesting, she had always sold her mangoes between Ksh.1.50 to Ksh.3 per piece. Some of her mangoes would rot in the farm while others would be given to visitors, children and neighbours. She had almost given up on managing  her orchards due to the loses she was incurring. However, through FCI linkages ,she was able to access markets and started selling her mangoes at Ksh.5 per piece.

Many other  farmers can give a testimony  of their success stories as a result of FCI interventions.

Smallholder farmers in Tanzania have been transformed from subsistence to commercial farming through the Rice Market Development Programme funded by the World Vision Australia and implemented by Farm Concern International, FCI. The programme linked 45,320 smallholder farmers to buyers.

One such farmer is Makame Mchahaji from Juhudi Commercial Producer Group who is a witness of transformation from the traditional subsistence farming to Commercial farming.  Mr. Makame witnessed the importance of CVs and decided to shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming. Before the project’s intervention he used to cultivate 25 acres, however, with minimal yields. 

With support and guidance from EMLAP, he now cultivates 7 acres. The yield from the seven acres is far much more than what he used to get from the twenty five acres. As a result, his income has increased following market linkages facilitation done by FCI. Another farmer, Elifrida from Makame CPG is also a beneficiary of the project. She attended several trainings on good agronomic practices and use of certified seeds conducted by FCI. She bought 24 kgs of hybrid maize seeds and 2 liters of foliar fertilizer for her use on the farm.  As a result, her yields increased and now she is a lead promoter in the utilization of hybrid seeds.

Farm Concern International (FCI) and World Vision Kenya in partnership with International Centre for Agro Forestry (ICRAF) and the County Government of Machakos organized a Market Trade Fair in May 2014 that created sustainable market and business linkages to 540 smallholder farmers. The main purpose of the fair was to create sustainable business and market linkages amongst smallholder farmers, input service providers, financial service providers, traders and institutions. 

The Market Trade Fair’s theme “Enhanced productivity and sustainable market linkages for fruit farmers” was in line with the Machakos County strategic priorities to boost agricultural productivity, support investment and trade. The trade fair brought together participants drawn from Machakos County and beyond including over 540 smallholder famers from five commercial villages in Machakos County, development partners, (USAID and World Vision), government representatives (Ministry of Agriculture), and over 21 exhibitors displaying input supplies and farm implements. 

The trade fair also provided a number of opportunities to build and enhance collective marketing for smallholder farmers by developing linkages through business and networking platforms with agro-input dealers, financial institutions, development partners and governmental institutions. These included: i. Access to input supplies from exhibiting input supply companies such as Pannar Seeds, Osho Chemicals, Dryland seeds, Green life protection among others. ii. Financial services for farmers and farmer groups offered by financial institutions such as Chase Bank and Equity bank which included loans for both individual farmers and farmer groups. iii. Investment and savings facilities offered to farmers by Traders Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies present in the trade fair such as Universal Traders Sacco which has products that target the smallholder farmer. iv. Insurance services for smallholder farmers and their farming enterprises to help them counter hardships such as drought and rain failure. Insurance services were offered by CIC insurance and Britam Insurance Companies. 

Exhibitors also included ready fruit buyers for fruits such as mangoes, avocadoes, passion fruit etc. One of these buyers is Alfanco Limited which buys fruit for export markets. Sweet and Dried limited was another buyer and fruit processor, who expressed their interest in buying fruits from the farmers. The interactive platform offered practical solutions for promoting smallholder farmers from subsistence to market-led production. Intensive learning took place during the market trade fair and participants benefited from the stakeholders contacts, knowledge exchange and experience sharing.

The Semi- Arid Region Commercialization Programme implemented by World Vision Kenya and Farm Concern International with support from World Vision Australia has enabled over 1,899 small holder farmers in Mwala and Kalawa record a price increase of up to 73 % for green grams. The prices of green grams increased from an average of USD 0.61 (KES 52.00) in April 2013 to USD 1.05 (KES. 90) per Kg in June 2014 in Kalawa as a result of improved production methods, collective action and market linkages promoted by Farm Concern International. 

The Market Opportunity Analysis Report (FCI, 2013) revealed that smallholder farmers in Mwala and

Kalawa are faced with the weakness of growing mixed varieties of green grams in their farms. The mixed varieties of green grams (N26 and KS20) fetch lower prices in the market as compared to the pure varieties. Informal traders within the key markets especially Machakos town and Nyamakima Market in Nairobi County prefer KS20 variety of green grams whose demand is 7,441 Metric tonnes per annum. 

The marketing systems in Mwala and Kalawa were also disorganized leading to high exploitation of farmers by brokers who purchased the produce from farmers and sold to traders in the local markets. However, through the Programme, capacity building interventions were conducted and farmers were trained to grow pure green grams variety of KS20. 

Business partnerships between the formal markets (Eastland Hotel, Shammah Hotel and Mulleys supermarket) and informal traders were established leading to a stable demand for green grams. The small holder farmers, through the established commercial villages are now able to do scheduled production of green grams, bulk them and sell during the off peak season (December to July) to informal traders in Machakos and Masii market based on the market information provided.