Small-scale farmers often face challenges such as limited market access, high production costs, and unpredictable production risks. However, collective production and marketing empower farmers by increasing their bargaining power, reducing costs through economies of scale, and enhancing risk-sharing mechanisms to mitigate challenges like weather changes and market fluctuations. Additionally, strong farmer groups benefit from access to better markets, allowing them to sell in bulk, secure contracts, and access high-value market segments. These groups also benefit from improved market information, enabling farmers to make informed decisions and optimize their productivity.

Recognizing the importance of structured farmer groups, NPCK, through the KSPI project, is actively reorganizing, restructuring, profiling, and onboarding farmer groups, aggregation hubs, and cooperatives to strengthen them and enhance collaboration, efficiency, and improved access to critical inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, and modern technology. In a significant step toward unifying potato farmers, the Usawa National Potato Cooperative is being established to bring together all potato cooperatives under one National body. This cooperative aims to streamline production, enhance market access, and advocate for fair pricing and policies that benefit smallholder farmers.

Financial access is another crucial benefit, as well-organized farmer groups are more likely to receive credit and investment support, enabling them to expand their operations and improve productivity. Through these initiatives, small-scale farmers are better positioned for growth, sustainability, and improved livelihoods in Kenya’s agricultural sector.

Mr. Henry Chemjor, Value chain manager NPCK, with Umathi Farmers’ Cooperative in Nyandarua, in one of the sensitization forums