Waiguru avocado project bears fruit as farmers set to harvest this month

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru’s support to avocado farmers in the county is now bearing fruits as beneficiaries of hass avocado seedlings distributed four years ago start harvesting.

Farmers who benefitted from the initial programme say their avocado trees have grown to maturity and they expect to harvest the first fruits this month.

Already, some of the beneficiaries especially those in cooperative societies, have a ready market for the fruit therefore eliminating middlemen.

Through Wezesha Kirinyaga economic empowerment programme, the governor embarked on a plan that has seen about 500 farmers groups get support to undertake various agricultural value chains, among them avocado farming.

Besides distributing hass avocado seedlings to farmers across the county, Waiguru also spearheaded the formation of an avocado cooperative society which has now enabled farmers to collectively negotiate for better price for their crop.

Other farmers groups have also been supported to establish nurseries where they propagate hass avocado seedlings which they in turn sell to farmers within and out of the county.

Kirinyaga Avocado Growers Cooperative Society chairman Enos Gichanga says their cooperative was formed in 2020 and has been selling their avocados to Kakuzi PLC at Sh25 per fruit as opposed to the Sh3-7 that they would earlier sell to brokers.

“By coming together and forming a cooperative, the county government has supported the farmers with avocado seedlings as well as establishment of avocado propagation nurseries. We have therefore overcome the challenge of sourcing for quality seedlings,” Gichanga said.

He said by integrating avocado farming in tea and coffee farming, the farmers have now added value to their farms and have created an extra income stream thus economically empowering themselves.

Gichanga said they are now educating tea and coffee farmers to replace other types of trees with avocado ones since their economic value is higher.

“The avocado tree will give returns through the various cycles of harvesting hence fetching farmers more money,” the chairman said.

He said the avocado value chain introduced by Waiguru has helped tea and coffee farmers since they are using the same land they have planted their traditional cash crops.

He added that besides making up for low returns from tea and coffee, the avocado trees are beneficial to tea plantations and hence the great reception by farmers.

“One tree can give up to Sh20,000 and so a farmer with several trees growing among the tea bushes reaps more from avocados than from tea,” he said.

He thanked the governor for the support, adding that the upcoming avocado aggregation centres that the county has put up, will go a long way in providing a conducive environment for farmers to collect and store their fruits before onward transmission to the market.

James Gitari who is among the beneficiaries of the programme says he expects to harvest his first fruits this month. He received his seedlings in 2019 and has nurtured them to maturity.

Gitari says he has lots of hopes in avocado farming since global demand for the fruit is higher than the supply. He urged more farmers, especially the young people, to plant avocados.

Tabitha Wabere who is a coffee farmer from Gichugu has integrated avocado farming in her farm. She says the fruit has been paying well and has enabled her uplift her family's economic status.

Waiguru said the avocado value chain support programme aims at elevating the county to be the leading avocado producer in the region.

“We also want to be the leader in avocado seedlings production where our farmers will be selling quality seedlings to other farmers within and outside our county,” the governor said.

“When we support farmers to diversify their agricultural activities, we create multiple income streams for them and reduce over reliance on one particular crop.” 

She said due to the rising demand for avocado in the local and export market, avocado farming presents an immense investment opportunity for farmers in the county and that her administration is committed to supporting them to increase production and access to market.

The county’s current annual avocado production is estimated at 15,000 metric tons worth around Sh300 million. With the county government’s interventions, the production is expected to be worth Sh700 million.

According to Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, avocado is the leading export fruit in Kenya. The demand and the prices of the fruit both in export and local markets have been on the increase. The rise of demand has been caused by realisation of the health benefit as well as increased processing activities. 

Avocado farming is not only expected to lead to improved household incomes and the county’s economy, but also to contribute to the achievement of the food security pillar of the country’s Big 4 Agenda.

-Edited by SKanyara