To enhance market opportunities for farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet County, World Vision in collaboration with the County Government organized a farmer market linkages exhibition in Tambach, Keiyo North Sub County.
The event served as a platform for farmers to engage with various stakeholders in the agricultural sector and gain access to essential extension services.
The exhibition provided a comprehensive range of one-stop extension services focusing on environmental conservation, and sustainable farming practices, as well as showcasing emerging innovations and technology tailored to enhance agricultural productivity.
Elgeyo Marakwet Deputy Governor Prof. Grace Cheserek, who graced the occasion, expressed appreciation for the collaboration between the County Government and World Vision. She emphasized the commitment of the County’s administration towards fostering strong relationships with stakeholders to uplift farmers’ livelihoods across the County.
“Strengthening market linkages is vital for reducing post-harvest losses, creating a more equitable distribution of power within the supply chain, encouraging investment, and advancing agricultural practices,” Prof. Cheserek remarked, underlining the significance of such initiatives in the agricultural landscape.
Sylvia Atayi, Cluster Manager of Elgeyo Marakwet at World Vision, highlighted the crucial role of agriculture in sustaining livelihoods in Kenya.
She noted that over 75 percent of Kenyans depend on agriculture for their income, with the majority being smallholder farmers. However, many of these farmers face challenges such as a lack of support in production and limited access to markets, leading to isolation from profitable opportunities.
“Hence, there is a pressing need to link them to markets and enable them to make profits,” Atayi stressed, emphasizing the importance of creating robust market linkages to empower smallholder farmers and enhance their economic prospects.
She concluded that the farmer market linkages exhibition not only provided a platform for farmers to interact with key stakeholders but also served as a catalyst for knowledge exchange and capacity building in sustainable agricultural practices.
By Rennish Okong’o
