Farmers in Kisii County are reaping the benefits of unity after forming a cooperative society to improve avocado production and stabilise prices.
According to the Sacco Chairman, James Onyango, ‘Geticha Hass Avocado Cooperative Society’ was established to curb exploitation by brokers who took advantage of individual farmers.
Speaking in Bombaba Ward, Bomachoge Borabu Sub county, Onyango explained how in the recent past, buyers dictated prices and delayed payments to avocado farmers.
“Now we negotiate directly with exporters and agree on a fixed price for the season, ” Onyango explained.
Onyango noted that the Society has brought together farmers from about 8 wards, currently having over 150 registered members.
Each farmer, he explained, contributes Sh1,000 as registration and another Sh1,000 as share capital.
Through the Sacco, farmers sign three-month contracts with avocado buyers, witnessed and approved by the Horticultural Crops Extension officers after which copies of the agreements are kept by all parties to ensure accountability.
One of the cooperative’s pioneer members, James Okenye, from Bombaba ward said that joining the group helped him find stable markets for his produce.
Okenye, who has planted over 400 Hass avocado trees, said he harvested more than 1,100 kilograms in August, earning Sh 110 per kilo, up from the previous Sh 60-80.
“Before the Sacco, buyers came and harvested carelessly, leaving most of the fruits to rot on the ground. Now everything is done in an organized way, and the prices have improved, tremendously” he testified.
However, despite the progress, Okenye explained that farmers still struggle with crop diseases like persea mites which threaten production.
Okenye narrated how his trees were attacked in August this year by a disease that turned the leaves yellow and made fruits drop before maturity.
He added that his good farming practices like mulching around every tree, a technique he learned in high school had helped some trees to recover.
Richard Ogendo, the area Sub County Agricultural Officer, said that the government was encouraging farmers to form cooperatives to improve marketing and access to extension services.
Ogendo said that the Hass avocado was a prioritised crop because of its high value, adding that the government was working with cooperatives like Geticha to train farmers on pest and disease control, soil fertility, and certified seedlings.
He identified persea mites as a major cause of leaf yellowing and fruit loss because the pests feed on leaves, reducing the tree’s ability to make food.
“We teach farmers to follow a regular spray program and use the right agrochemicals,” he said.
Ogendo also noted that the ministry of agriculture is also promoting the use of organic manure to improve soil fertility and enhance the marketability of the fruit.
He explained that the method of fermenting compost by using organic waste helped to produce a nutrient-rich fertiliser, leading to organic production which ends attracting better prices, especially for export.
Other farmers, like Irene Nyaboke who owns 50 avocado trees and runs an avocado nursery, say they hope to join the cooperative to access better markets, find reliable buyers and increase profits.
Kisii County Nominated Senator, Esther Okenyuri, recently appealed to the agricultural extension officers to reach out to the farmers to help address the issue of persea mites which have become a menace in the region.
Explaining about a bill in Parliament on how the farmers could best benefit from extension officers through growing avocado seedlings, Okenyuri had noted that the main challenge for the avocado farmers was attack by the disease.
Also, during the recent national tree growing exercise, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication, Stephen Isaboke, urged residents to plant many fruit trees saying they would lead to food security and benefit small holder farms.
By Sophia Matoya
