Strengthening smallholder farmers' resilience through cooperative efforts’
09-09-2024In the ASAL (Arid and Semi-Arid Lands) area of lower eastern Kenya, a remarkable success story has emerged from a cooperative that aggregates and markets cereals in a region that is faced with erratic rainfall and the crop-value chains that perform well are only pulses. This cooperative, driven by the vision of sustainable agriculture and community empowerment, has made significant strides with the support of Agriterra under the Acting Now project.
Kibwezi East Farmers’ Cooperative Society (KECS) began its journey in 2017 after being transformed from a Community Based Oorganisation. This was due to the growth realised, necessitating a strong legal, commercial entity for it to transact on behalf of the members and bring economic value to improve their livelihoods. It fetches its membership from four main wards in Makueni County. The cooperative currently has a membership of 2,500 members, of which females are 1300 and 350 youths. Recognising the potential of resilient crops like green grams, pigeon peas, and cowpeas, the cooperative focused on these legumes due to their drought tolerance and nutritional value.
Through the project's interventions, the cooperative has significantly enhanced its extension services, providing continuous support and guidance to farmers. By establishing demonstration farms, the cooperative showcases Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices, transforming these farms into learning hubs where farmers can observe and adopt innovative techniques.
Empowered to produce and distribute locally adapted, high-quality seeds, the cooperative ensures that farmers have access to seeds well-suited to their environment. Additionally, the cooperative's focus on value addition allows its members to access more profitable markets and secure better prices for their produce. The cooperative has been able to avail its members with input supplies at affordable prices leading to increased productivity. The cooperative then buys back the members produce for marketing jointly. The produce is of high quality standards i.e. no impurities, shiny and clean, not attacked by pests, of uniform variety, specified size, weight and moisture content.
With the support of the county government, the cooperative initially acquired mechanisation implements to promote conservation agriculture practices, increasing members' resilience. The bundled services of mechaniszation, such as chisel ploughing and seed access, are expected to complete the service cycle, ensuring improved productivity for its members.
In the past season, the area received abundant rainfall which led to high yields. The cooperative aggregated and marketed 12.6T of green grams from their members, a significant achievement that underscores the benefits of favorable weather conditions. This bumper harvest not only ensured food security for many households but also contributed to increased incomes for the cooperative's members.
However, the success of this season stands in a huge difference to the previous long rains experienced between March and May. During that period, while the rest of the country experienced heavy rainfall, Kibwezi East faced a severe drought, with not a single drop of rain recorded. This resulted in a total crop failure, highlighting the vulnerability of the area to unpredictable weather patterns intensified by climate change.
Today, the cooperative stands as a ray of hope and resilience amid the unpredictable weather conditions in the area brought by climate change. Its members have seen increased incomes, improved food security, and a stronger community bond. The success of this cooperative under the Acting Now project demonstrates the transformative power of collective effort, knowledge sharing, and sustainable practices in overcoming the challenges of arid and semi-arid farming.
