Economic Recovery to the impact of Covid-19 on agri-food value chain in Kenya
The project aims to contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic status of the local communities, and to the economic recovery in response to the negative impact of Covid-19 in Kenya. The intervention is focused on the agri-food sector with an approach based on the value chain and on the support to cooperatives of small-holder producers.
Covid-19 had a very negative impact on small-holder farmers by causing the closure of traditional sales channels, starting with the lockdown of the Nairobi market, the zeroing of the ability to save and the impossibility of accessing the financial market and, therefore, of acquiring agricultural inputs and starting new investments. The initiative hence intends to recover the agri-food sector and find a solutions to all those challenges that hinder the development of the agri-food value chain, in particular dairy, and the cooperative movement.
The project aims to improve the socio-economic status and contribute to the economic recovery of small farmers residing in three Kenyan counties (Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi), by strengthening the identified cooperatives, in order to optimize local production, promote jobs’ creation, increase the average income and improve the food security status of the beneficiaries.
Within the project, E4Impact takes care of all the training activities for the creation of business models for complementary services within the value chain, as well as for the provision of grants to the best trained companies.
It will support the development and implementation of business models within small producer cooperatives and carry out an analysis of the agri-food value chain, mapping the stakeholders. It will also take care of organizing seminars to facilitate market links.