Consultancy services to build the capacity of 3,000 yellow passion fruit farmers in Machakos/Embu, Lamu and Kwale with the objective of increased farm productivity and market off-take.
Agriculture contributes 30% of Kenya’s GDP: it is the country’s mainstay of economic growth. Declining agricultural productivity across different value chains is attributable to degradation, soil fertility loss, unskilled farmers, risks associated with climate change, poor agricultural practices, unfavorable credit regime, inexistent business development services and linkages to off-takers as well as absence of a ‘farm to sell’ attitude. A ‘farm to sell’ attitude involves farmer-motivation and proactive decisions in investing in high-value crops like yellow passion fruit.
Passion fruit is an important commercial fruit in Kenya with great economic importance. It’s among the most competitive in the country, coming in third after the mango and avocado.
This is the reason why this project, funded by GIZ, aims at accelerating 3.000 enterprises from Machakos/Embu, Lamu and Kwale in Passion Fruit Value Chain addressing farmer-specific needs, challenges in linking farmers/farmer groups to service providers, technical support and the off-takers.
The beneficiaries of the program will be supported in accessing agribusiness finance, obtaining inputs and technical support, selling to new high-end markets, creating new jobs, increasing their production and setting up farmer groups.
They will be trained in different aspects of Business Development Services (accounting, record keeping, business models etc) and, thanks to the knowledge acquired during the program, they will have a positive attitude to invest their time and resources in the value chain. They will see their families’ well-being change due to increasing incomes and will be valued by the community. Trained farmers will set up demo farms and nurseries and will become economically autonomous.
In order to ensure sustainability of the activities, E4Impact will work closely with the national and county governments to ensure political will and technical support. Activities will be linked to other ongoing development cooperation projects in the regions to ensure synergy and complementarity.
