Miraa farmers live in poverty despite growing acres of crop

Most miraa Land cruisers, vans and lorries are owned by Somali-origin traders and business people, Kikuyu and Imenti businesswomen, the Star has established.

About 50 vehicles carrying miraa crop crisscross several counties at a speed of not less than 100 km per hour, transporting the highly perishable crop that earns billions of shillings in the country, while miraa farmers lament about remaining in abject poverty.

We visited several miraa collection, packaging and loading canters, where farmers bemoaned high expenses and called on the government to rein in taxation.

At Muringene market centre, which supplies the produce to Nairobi and surrounding areas, many farmers recalled how they suffered before the rains.

Ismael Juma, a miraa farmers’ leader, said the cost of miraa from Laare, which is destined for Mombasa and surrounding areas, had hiked, forcing many revellers to prefer cheaper types.

“Water for irrigation is very expensive as farmers had to buy the commodity, making the prices skyrocket, where a 100kg sack was going at Sh200,000,” Juma said.

“We are grateful Somalia started taking our miraa, which is the only export international market.”

In Kiengu, as well as some other parts of Igembe Central and Igembe North, farmers did not have anywhere to take miraa before the rains and had thrown in the towel.

At peak rainy seasons when it has rained currently, miraa is sold in 28 counties and the surplus remains.

TAMING PRICES

Nyambene Miraa Traders and Farmers Association (Nyamita) chairman Kimathi Munjuri says he is lobbying farmers to lower miraa prices, which had gone high due to the serious problems in accessing water for irrigation.

“Today, 100 tonnes of 50 vehicles are leaving Maua every day, and the majority are for local markets,” he said.

Munjuri added that miraa transporting vehicles are very expensive to buy as well as to maintain.

“What is there is realignment; we have our vehicles and some farmers transport their produce if their order for supply is enough coming from their farm. Maintaining a miraa vehicle is an expensive affair. It has to be serviced every week, and this means overall,” he said.

The smallest vehicle has six tires, which must be replaced in one week, while one tire costs Sh25,000. The brake pads and plates cost about Sh50,000 and fuelling is not less than Sh15,000, he said.

“We have people who have come to trade in the transport sector. It is not true that miraa farmers do not want to own miraa-transporting vehicles but only that they are expensive,” he said.

Munjuri said this is an indicator that locally, they have been pushed out, where traders now have brand new vehicles.

“Earlier, we exported miraa with our vehicles, just like Somali traders, who export with their Land Cruisers. Today, there is barely one Meru-owned vehicle exporting miraa to Somalia. You can invest in a pickup but getting orders is a tall order.”

Imenti women have specialised in vehicles alone, he said, the same way matatus are brought to a stage and a driver or person in charge given a target of some strict amount of money for each day.

LEASING FARMS

Leasing is inevitable due to the challenges that need to be sorted out immediately, especially school fees.

The Miraa Revitalisation Fund, which addresses the issue of the lease and eases the burden on farmers, is foreseen as a remedy.

Munjuri said the association has submitted an itemised list they want to be settled by Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi's provision of a reviving fund.

“We want to cure that disease and miraa must be in the category of other cash crops,” Munjuri said.

“Miraa has a directorate at the toothless AFA, but it has never had a board. When you get to the point of leasing your farm, it means you don’t have an income.

“Leasing also depends on the trader’s connections with a guaranteed buyer of the produce. But the farmer gets a very poor bargain, no value for his farm at all. Market challenges are the biggest. It has not improved even now.”

In 2020, there arose disagreements between then-Agriculture CS Peter Munya and Nyamita over the Ministry of Agriculture opting to channel some funds to newfound Mwenge miraa sacco instead of the Commodity Fund.

NEED FOR HYGIENE

Miraa is a crop that was discovered before the colonial period, but its consumption then was not in large quantities as it is today.

There are several types of miraa. The most expensive is Griid, which is reserved for export to Somalia, while other types include Allele, Kisa, Kulumbu and Masenge.

The miraa ban in major international markets in the UK, Canada, Netherlands and the US was on grounds of hygiene and drug-related claims, but scientists have conducted one research after another to prove the stimulant content in the miraa.

Miraa was approved as a cash crop in Kenya through the Crop Act 2013 no. 16 with an amendment in 2016. However, there have been concerns raised regarding psychological dependence or addiction resulting from long-term use of miraa, leading to the banning of the crop in some countries.

Miraa is known to contain Cathaine and Cathionine, which are compounds classified and prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act CAP 245 of 1994.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards has approved a new code of practice to guide the sanitary production and distribution of miraa produce in the country.

Kebs MD Bernard Njiraini says a new code of practice requires operators in the miraa supply value chain to observe hygiene practices, ensure sanitary operations, comply with food packaging requirements and keep relevant records.

It also calls for a labelling system that demonstrates traceability, while also adhering to relevant regulations, including worker’s health, safety and welfare.

This is contained in the new Kenya National Workshop Agreement 2021.

Stakeholders include miraa growers, propagators, aggregators, transporters, shippers and cargo handlers.

“The code of practice will ensure hygienic production and handling from the farms to final distribution channels,” Njiraini says.

“Additionally, the new guidelines will be used by the sector regulators for the registration and certification of operators along the entire value chain.

“This will facilitate businesses to meet market and pre-export sanitary requirements.”

The code of practice was developed in consultation with the Trade and Agriculture ministries, Pharmacy and Poisons Boards, Government Chemist and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service.