More than 7,000 onion farmers in Kieni West, Nyeri, Kenya, are set to benefit from a new cooperative aimed at improving their livelihoods. The cooperative will provide a platform for farmers to pool resources, acquire equipment collectively, and enhance their bargaining power when buying inputs and marketing their produce. This initiative is expected to increase productivity and household incomes for the farmers. The launch of the cooperative took place at St George's, Gataragwa grounds in Nyeri.
Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, presided over the launch and praised President William Ruto's Administration for introducing reforms in the agriculture sector. He stated that the government's support for farmers is part of efforts to improve household incomes and strengthen the country's food security. During the occasion, Murkomen helped raise over Sh 5 million as seed capital for the cooperative. This financial support will enable the cooperative to start operations and provide benefits to its members.
The Ministry of Agriculture has pledged support for the cooperative, including the provision of onion seeds worth Sh 700,000. Additionally, the ministry will construct a greenhouse and provide two onion driers to help farmers reduce post-harvest losses. The farmers will also receive capacity-building support valued at Sh 1 million to equip them with knowledge on modern onion farming practices and emerging trends in the sector. These initiatives aim to increase productivity and improve the quality of onions produced.
Murkomen highlighted the government's efforts to lower the cost of production for farmers, citing the fertilizer subsidy programme as an example. The price of a 50-kilogramme bag of fertilizer has decreased from nearly Sh 7,000 in 2021 to the current Sh 2,000. He also mentioned reforms in the coffee sub-sector, where farmers are now earning between Sh 100 and Sh 150 per kilogramme of cherry, up from Sh 60-70 per kilogramme previously.
The government's agricultural interventions are part of its broader Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aimed at ensuring that ordinary farmers benefit directly from economic activity. Murkomen emphasized the government's commitment to supporting farmers and making agriculture a profitable source of income. He noted that the objective is to put money in the pockets of farmers and help them make a living through farming.
Joseph Wachira, Chairman of the Kieni West Onions Farmers' Cooperative, stated that the initiative will help farmers address perennial challenges that have hindered them from realizing the full potential of onion farming. The cooperative's first priority will be to facilitate farmers' access to seeds and other inputs at affordable prices through collective purchasing. Wachira noted that high input costs have discouraged many farmers from venturing into onion production or expanding their acreage.
Data from Farmers Trend, an online magazine, shows that Kenya consumes approximately 400,000 tonnes of onions annually, with local production meeting 60-70% of the demand. The remaining 30-40% is imported from neighbouring Tanzania. Kieni West is listed as the highest producer of onions in the Mount Kenya region, with other major producing areas including Mount Elgon, Kajiado, Meru, Nakuru, Narok, and Nyeri.
Key points
- The cooperative will provide farmers with access to affordable inputs, post-harvest facilities, and markets to improve their livelihoods.
- The government has pledged support for the cooperative, including financial assistance, infrastructure, and capacity-building initiatives.
- Kenya's onion production meets 60-70% of the country's annual demand, with the remainder imported from Tanzania.
