The County Government of Uasin Gishu, in partnership with the World Bank supported National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), has intensified efforts to strengthen cooperatives and promote agribusiness, as a pathway to improved farmer incomes and local economic growth.
This was underscored during an inclusion training and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing workshop for Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) and Community Driven Development Committees (CDDCs) executive officials, held in Eldoret.
Speaking during the event, Uasin Gishu County Chief Officer for Cooperatives and Enterprise Development, Elphas Kessio, noted that the county has now covered all 30 wards, operationalizing the model of one ward, one cooperative and one CDDC.
“We have successfully supported 30 cooperatives and CDDCs across the county. The first phase involved donation grants to help cooperatives recruit members and establish infrastructure such as digitisation systems, electricity and solar power,” he said.
He added that in the second phase, the Enterprise Development Grant has already benefited 11 cooperatives and 11 CDDCs, enabling acquisition of tractors, transportation equipment and refrigerated trucks for agricultural produce.
On value addition, the Chief Officer highlighted the establishment of four modern processing facilities in the county, aimed at transitioning farmers from primary production to Agri-processing.
“We are moving away from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. Our farmers must earn more through value addition and agribusiness,” he said.
Kessio emphasised the importance of integrity, accountability and transparency in cooperative leadership, urging elected officials to uphold high ethical standards in the management of farmers’ resources.
“Leadership in cooperatives must be anchored on integrity and transparency. I urge you to take full advantage of this training to educate farmers, serve them diligently and uplift their livelihoods,” he said.
Uasin Gishu County Director of Cooperative Development, Drusilla Cherogon, said the MoUs signed during the workshop formalizes collaboration between one SACCO per ward, the county government and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project.
She explained that the programme promotes a savings culture among farmers, with matching grants provided based on members’ contributions.
“For cooperatives to benefit, members must first save. The matching grant is equivalent to what they contribute, encouraging financial discipline and sustainability,” Cherogon said.
The Director added that strengthened SACCOs will enable farmers to access affordable credit within their localities, reducing the need to travel to urban centres for financial services and stimulating local economic activity.
Cherogon assured stakeholders that her department will continue capacity building for cooperative leaders and members, building on the foundation laid by the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project.
Also speaking at the event, Uasin Gishu County Agricultural Finance Officer under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, Emilia Yator, urged farmers to organize themselves into groups and cooperatives to access government services.
She said the project, which is being implemented in 33 counties nationally, is targeting all 30 wards in Uasin Gishu County, with at least one Savings and Credit Cooperative Society in each ward.
“Through the project, we provide inclusion grants and matching grants that operate as revolving funds to strengthen SACCOs. Farmers can only access these services if they belong to organised groups,” Yator said.
She explained that farmers are first organised into Common Interest Groups, based on value chains such as dairy, poultry, Irish potatoes, coffee, avocado and other enterprises, before being affiliated to Farmer Cooperative Societies that serve as marketing platforms.
According to Yator, income earned from agricultural activities is saved through SACCOs, enabling farmers to access affordable credit from both county and national government programmes.
From the grassroots, Maryolive Jepngetich, a farmer from Kapsaos Ward, welcomed the initiative, saying it has addressed long-standing challenges faced by local cooperatives.
“Our SACCO has struggled for a long time with limited funds to lend to farmers. We are grateful to the county government and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project for supporting us and empowering us with knowledge,” she said.
Jepngetich added that farmers are now ready to mobilise their communities to join SACCOs and work closely with both the county and national governments to ensure the programme delivers tangible benefits.
The initiative is expected to strengthen cooperative governance, expand access to affordable credit, promote value addition and accelerate the transformation of agriculture into a viable agribusiness sector in Uasin Gishu County.
By Fredrick Maritim
