Empowering cashew farmers in Kilifi county to build better livelihoods for their families

My name is Jonathan Kazungu, and I am the chairman of the Mibibo Farmers Cooperative Society. This cooperative was established in October 2022 with the support of Empowering Farmers Foundation (EFF) and funding from The Innocent Foundation UK. Within EFF’s approach is embedded the intent to set up sustainable systems that outlive the duration of project lifecycles. That is how Mibibo Farmers Cooperative Society came into existence, with the goal of aggregating produce, linking smallholder farmers to agro-processors, and ultimately revitalising the cashew value chain in the region.

Securing market access for farmers

One of our biggest achievements as a cooperative has been securing an ongoing offtake partnership with Nuts and More (EA) EPZ Ltd., a state-of-the-art cashew processing factory right here in Kilifi. This partnership, facilitated by EFF, has secured a reliable market for our farmers’ produce. Additionally, we are able to pay our farmers immediately upon delivering their cashews to us because the factory pays the cooperative in advance. This instant payment builds trust, especially considering the historical challenges many cooperatives in the country have faced, where farmers lost their money. In the past, farmers delivered their produce and ended up not receiving their payment thereby losing trust in the cooperative system. Today, Mibibo Farmers Cooperative proudly has 517 members.

Benefits for our farmers

Here are some of the services and support we provide to our farmers:

  • Our members are assured of a consistent market for their cashews throughout the year.
  • We allocate 20% of our annual profits as dividends to our members.
  • All our farmers receive free spraying services twice in a season, to boost cashew productivity and better income.
  • We conduct regular training sessions on cashew tree management for better productivity and financial literacy, emphasizing the importance of savings.

Strengthening farmer capacities

In October 2023, we partnered with EFF and Emerging Leaders to provide a three-day training programme to 55 of our farmers. This programme aimed to enhance skills in financial management, farming techniques, and income generation. Eight months later, Emerging Leaders conducted a follow-up to assess the progress of the farmers. Here are the remarkable outcomes:

  • 71% of our farmers made significant progress in cashew nut farming.
  • 87% of our farmers increased their income, with an average rise of over 50%, from $60 to $91 by the next harvesting season.
  • 93% improved their savings, with average savings increasing by 43%, from $16 to $23 per month.
  • The cooperative membership grew by 39% referred to the sacco by current members.

As Chairman of the Mibibo Farmers Cooperative, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together. Our partnership with EFF and Nuts and More (EA) EPZ Ltd. is not only revitalising the cashew value chain but also empowering our members to build better livelihoods for their families. While we celebrate these achievements, the journey ahead is still long. We remain committed to expanding our impact, reaching more farmers, and ensuring that every cashew farmer in Kilifi and beyond benefits from the support and opportunities we provide.

Agricultural Productivity: Enhance agricultural productivity through sustainable and climate-smart practices, improved access to quality seeds, fertilisers, and modern technologies, and training for small-scale farmers. b. Irrigation and Water Management: Promote water conservation techniques, efficient irrigation systems, and integrated water resource management to ensure a reliable water supply for agriculture. c. Diversification: Encourage crop diversification to enhance food availability and household nutrition by promoting the cultivation of smart food crops and high-value crops for increased income generation. d. Storage and Distribution: Strengthen post-harvest management and improve storage infrastructure to reduce household food losses; and promote efficient aggregation systems for improved inputs distribution and access to markets. e. Market Linkages & Financial Services: Support the establishment or farmer cooperatives/ organisations for effective produce aggregation and market linkages, and provide technical assistance to enable small-scale producers to access domestic and international markets and financial services, fostering income generation and economic growth. f. Skills Training and Capacity Building: Facilitate agronomic training, entrepreneurship development, and business management skills to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers and communities to generate sustainable incomes.
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