Migori County in partnership with FarmTo Market Alliance (FtMA) has trained small scale farmers on agribusiness and climate smart technology agriculture in order to boost their production.
A total of 18 farmers drawn from various wards across the county were trained under the Farmers Service Centre, a model that has been brought out to train farmers on extensive methods of farming in addition to provision of input linkage and market access.
Farm to Market Alliance Official Ms Janet Omollo explained that the small-scale farmers have undergone an extensive three-month long training on various improved farming methods, new market systems and business development coaching.
“For the past three months we have been training farmers on how to boost their farm inputs, farming methods and how to take farming as a business by linking them to available markets and agribusiness opportunities,” said Omollo.
She acknowledged that the main goal of the organisation was to ensure that market comes first, by establishing a forum where farmers can market their produce.
FtMA has also done last mile and first mile delivery by ensuring that farmers from all over the county get the services and farm inputs without having to visit agrovets.
Migori County Agricultural Officer Tony Kidiga said that FtMA has merged different partners in the farming department enabling the farmers to get inputs and market for their farm produce.
“This whole extension service will benefit the small-scale farmers since the county has inadequate extension officers,” said Kidiga.
He also said that although they have other projects such as the testing kits in their department, they may not be able to reach every farmer due to their limited human resource.
He urges farmers to take advantage of the farmers service centers which will assist them in performing their small-scale farming as well as a ready market for their produce.
However, the small-scale farmers raised concerns on some of the challenges they face that includes; access to fertilizers and the high prices of farm inputs.
The farmers also noted that the subsidized fertilizers from the government are located at National Cereals depots making it costly to transport.
Millicent Wasonga, one of the training beneficiaries noted the training will enable small scale farmers to take a new shape.
She thanked the KUZA organisation in collaboration with FtMA for giving the trainees smart mobile phones to enable them keep records and databases of farmers they serve.
