News
The Success Story of the Youth Council of MKONGE Tea Co-operative LTD
Written by Ibrahimu Mwankanye, Cooperative advisor Tanzania
The youth council of the primary cooperative of tea farmers of MKONGE Tea AMCOS LTD in Tanzania was established in 2021, after receiving the Youth Leadership training from Agriterra which included youth councils of other primary cooperatives. The youth council received a blessing from the Mkonge Tea board members and was officially approved during the annual general meeting in 2021.
The youth council has a total of 13 members, of which 6 are female and 7 are male. It is made up of 6 board members, of which 4 are male and 2 are female.
Establishment of red cherry coffee drying site
Written by Olika Urgessa, cooperative advisor Ethiopia
Man’issa multipurpose primary cooperative with limited liability was established in 2001 with an initial membership of 48 males and 2 females for a total of 50 members. Currently, cooperative membership has grown to 127 males and 9 females, totalling 136. The cooperative is located in the southern Ethiopian region. Most of the land is used for growing coffee, the production of different crops and the rearing of animals.
The primary cooperative is governed by a seven-member board, elected by the general assembly of the cooperative. Currently, the cooperative has one permanent staff member (a security guard) and more than 30 temporary workers during the collection, bulking and drying process of red cherry coffee.
Harvesting hope: financial inclusion
Written by Esmee van Schuppen, Programme Officer Farmer Focused Transformation & Acting Now
Despite many efforts, agricultural cooperatives in Kenya encounter challenges in attracting the necessary financing. To mark the closure of the FFT Bi-Annual meeting in Nairobi, Kenya that coincided with International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2024, Agriterra hosted an insightful panel discussion on ‘Harvesting Hope: Financial Inclusion’. Taking a gendered lens, the panel discussion, consisting of five female leaders in their respective sectors and Wilfred Chepkwony, FFT project lead Kenya unraveled the complexities and viable solutions for agricultural cooperatives to attract necessary finance, especially for female farmers. The session was skillfully moderated by Dr. Daniel Mwendah M’lutha, CEO of the Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF) and opened by Stijn van Geel, Regional Manager East Africa at Agriterra and Marco Schouten, CEO, Agriterra.
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Sourcing from trusted and reliable seed potato distributors
Diane Nyirahabimana, 50, is a member of KOKUMUJE cooperative and a shareholder in SPF Joint Ventures Ltd in Rwanda. She sources 4 tons of certified seed potatoes from SPF every season to produce potatoes for consumption on 1.5 hectare of own land. Agriterra interventions through SPF favored Diane to progressively increase her income through market-oriented potato farming.
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Valuable insights and strategies
Written by Korotimi Drabo, Cooperative advisor Burkina Faso
From 27 February to 1 March 2024, a training course on the basic principles of marketing was held in Ouagadougou. The course was attended by 4 horticultural cooperatives involved in the production, processing and marketing of tomatoes and onions, namely NYI DWI NYE, NAKOGLBZANGA, UPPOB, SONG-TAABA and OUEZENA, a shea collection and processing cooperative. 20 participants took part in the workshop, including 11 women and 6 young people.
Stanislas Bouda, accounting manager at the Union Provinciale des Producteurs d'Oignons des Balé, says: "After this training course, I'm well equipped to get to know our buyers and offer them services that meet their expectations".
A Story of Resilience
Combating drought and building resilience in dairy production through fodder production and conservation
Supported by Agriterra's Acting Now Project in Kajiado County, Kenya
Written by Esther Kalanza, Cooperative Advisor - Acting Now, Kenya
In the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kajiado County, Kenya, a group of Maasai women are defying the odds of climate change and poverty by running a successful dairy cooperative that provides them with income, food, and empowerment. The Maasai Kajiado Women Cooperative, established in 2010, has grown to over 3,400 members who deliver their milk to the cooperative. Kajiado County was harshly hit by the drought in 2022-2023, with most pastoralist farmers losing up to 70% of their livestock. Agriterra came across the cooperative in 2023 when the catchment was full of carcasses of dead animals.
From local sales to international trade
Jeroen Kruft, former owner of a company focused on product development in developing countries, is regularly enlisted by Agriterra to provide advice to cooperatives in, for example, Peru, Congo and Tanzania. In September last year, he shared his experiences and insights in marketing with cocoa cooperative Ecakoog in Ivory Coast. "I examined their customer base, their finances and the quality of the cocoa. We visited some plantations, discussed certification, and looked at a marketing strategy."
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