KWAKYAI VALUE ADDITION TECHNOLOGY STANDS OUT AT THE PRE-MADARAKA FOOD SECURITY EXHIBITION

May 28, 2024

Kwakyai Rural Sacco Limited from Kikumbulyu South is among the over 300 exhibitors showcasing their agricultural technologies at the ongoing Pre-Madaraka Food Security Exhibition at Kibabii University in Bungoma County.

Kwakyai was registered as a Sacco in 2002 with the aim of producing, aggregating, and marketing fruits and vegetables. 

However, they faced significant post-harvest losses due to market instability, prompting them to explore value addition. They decided to focus on drying tomatoes.

In 2017, 110 farmers signed a contract with Ketchup, a  Netherlands based company , to supply 10 tons of produce per week. The farmers received a grant of Ksh. 6 million from the Makueni County NARIGP to upgrade their pack house to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards, enabling compliance with export market standards.

This contract has provided the farmers with stable market prices and increased incomes. In 2023, they achieved gross sales of Ksh. 2.7 million from exported tomatoes.

As the Pre-Madaraka Food Security Exhibition continues, various agricultural stakeholders are advocating for a paradigm shift from traditional agriculture to agribusiness and commercialization. Today’s discussions focus on interventions to enhance agricultural production, productivity, and value addition.