More than 300 farmers from Kathiani, Machakos county, received Sh2.4 million fertiliser and agrochemicals on Thursday.
The members of Kaliluni Farmers Cooperative Society received the farm inputs from We Effect, a Swedish NGO.
The NGO works in partnership with OIKO Credit, a micro-finance institution.
“We Effect in partnership with OIKO Credit is presenting a Sh2.4 million cheque to Kaliluni. This is a loan to purchase fertiliser, which will be given to farmers to increase coffee production,” We Effect official said.
The officials addressed the press during the issuance at the cooperative's office.
“The project is aimed to benefit small scale famers especially from rural parts of the county. We are going to see great improvement in coffee production in this area,” We Effect official said.
We Effect works to end poverty worldwide. Its core strategy is to strengthen cooperatives of women and men living in poverty through membership-based democracy, long-term economic thinking, social responsibility and transparency.
The organisation’s officials said this will results in increased income for families, food on the table and a roof over their heads.
“The organisation’s objective is to see small scale farmers improve on production. We conduct capacity building through farmers’ training on productivity, climate change, gender equality and youth inclusion in projects,” the official said.
Kaliluni FCS chairman Edwin Mulomba said the loan will uplift their members and improve coffee production.
“The fertilisers is already at the factory and farmers will start collecting it from today,” Mulomba said.
Mulomba said the fertilisers has been subsidised by the government.
“The government has paid 40 per cent so a farmer will only cater for the remaining 60 per. Instead of paying Sh1,000 for agrochemical the farmer will pay Sh600 and Sh3,480 for a bag of fertiliser instead of Sh5, 800,” he said.
He urged the farmers not to sell the fertilisers but use it for the intended purpose.
“This is a loan so use it to improve your yields. Last year we tried but didn’t achieve our goals but today God has brought We Effect to us to boost our farming,” Mulomba said.
