Counties urged to help farmers market produce

Marketing of farm produce has been identified as a key challenge facing farmers countrywide, leading to huge losses and perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

The Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF) has urged county governments to step in and assist farmers with marketing strategies and market information to rip maximum benefit from their labour.

KENAFF Chief Executive Officer Mwenda M’Mailutha said famers are the most important link in the agricultural sector as well as in Kenya’s realisation of the Big Four Agenda, Agriculture Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy and Kenya Vision 2030.

Dr M’Mailutha was speaking to KENAFF county branch leaders at the Farmers Conference Centre in Thogoto, Kikuyu. He said devolution of agriculture continues to impact the sector and that county governments need to closely engage with farmers’ leaders in their respective counties.

He listed technical advisory services on land use management, production and post-harvest technologies as well as credit access and marketing as some critical areas where farmers need utmost support from county governments.

He told county governments to help farmers stranded with perishable products with no market. He also advised farmers to form marketing cooperatives owned and operated by a group of farmers who produce similar products. 

By joining a marketing cooperative farmers gain more control in marketing and pricing their products including agricultural inputs such as seed and fertiliser. 

“The marketing cooperative accomplishes these objectives by performing certain functions such as packing, storing, cooling, shipping, promoting, and selling; negotiating for better market terms because of volume and variety offered by their members; and buying production supplies (seeds, fertiliser and containers) in large volumes at lower prices,” he said.  


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