Agricultural stakeholders and value chain actors in Homa Bay County have hailed the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) for transforming the local economy.
This endorsement followed a series of barazas held across all the 40 wards, where draft Community Action Plans (CAP) and Micro Catchment Action Plans (MCAP) were validated as part of the Participatory Integrated Community Development (PICD) process.
Skeeter Otieno who is the coordinator of the process said they were keen on fostering community participation in identifying issues, developing plans, and proposing solutions.
“We have received reports generated by all 40 wards. These reports will guide our engagement with the community moving forward. They have developed community action plans and micro catchment action plans,” she said.
During the barazas, various opportunities were highlighted through value propositions and potential returns on investment in the five main value chains of dairy, cotton, coffee, rice, and bananas.
Ms Otieno noted that farmers interested in these value chains were registered into Common Interest Groups (CIGs) or Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups (VMGs).
Lead farmers were elected as value chain representatives to ensure effective communication and implementation of plans.
Key issues identified by the community included low crop and livestock yields, high cost of farm inputs, dilapidated irrigation infrastructure, silted dams, unprotected springs, lack of aggregation centers, and unreliable rainfall among others.
Additionally, challenges such as lack of processing knowledge, poor market linkages, post-harvest losses, and poor road networks were cited as major barriers to market participation and value addition.
Proposed interventions include the use of certified inputs, training programs, fertilizers, pesticides, acquisition of spray pumps, establishment of new and renovation of existing irrigation infrastructure, establishment of processing facilities, and the adoption of modern agriculture technologies.
The NAVCDP aims to support 500,000 small-scale farmers in transitioning from subsistence to commercial farming, enhancing their livelihoods through the five selected value chains.
Residents are also encouraged to join Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) to better position themselves within the agricultural economy to receive government support.
Project success will be measured through several indicators, including the number of farmers reached with agricultural assets/services, with a target of 50% female participation.
Additional indicators include the percentage increase in farmers selling more than 50% of their produce in the market and the percentage increase in farmers selling value-added produce.
Mr. Paul Otuoma, a key actor in the banana value chain, praised the project’s participatory approach: “We have been engaged every step of the way. We have identified our challenges as a community and suggested the best interventions,” he said.
Otuoma shared his personal experiences of banana produce going bad due to the lack of timely market access, a challenge the project aims to address by supporting farmers in acquiring cold storage facilities.
The project also focuses on educating farmers about processing produce to sell in value-added form for higher profits. “We are happy that this project is building on the gains made by the National Agricultural Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP), now in its closure phase, which aimed to increase production and productivity.” Otuoma said.
He noted that the main objective of NAVCDP is to increase market participation and value addition, which will greatly impact farmers lives.
He emphasized that the transition from subsistence to commercial farming will significantly improve the economic position of farmers by increasing their income.
The endorsement of NAVCDP marks a significant milestone for Homa Bay County, heralding a new era of agricultural development and economic prosperity for its residents.
By Davis Langat
