[Photo/feedthefuture.gov/womanfarmer]
In 2014, Women in Modern Agriculture group received Sh3.38m from Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project that saw them buy the piece of land they used to lease, set up greenhouses and upscale production.
A group of women in Rarieda constituency of Siaya county is setting the pace in practicing horticultural farming, an enterprise that fetches them good money in Nyanza region.
Years ago, the women under the group name Women in Modern Agriculture (Wima) were actively involved in village table banking before they landed the idea of farming in 2013.
The group’s chairperson, Florence Oketch, traces their experiments in farming to an open field where they mainly grew kales (sukuma wiki) and tomatoes on a leased piece of land.
From the savings accumulated through table banking, we went into farming that for us looked a promising venture,” she says. Though the women faced a range of challenges especially during the initial stages of the enterprise, things took a new turn and they could later afford to realize profits.
Last season, they earned on average of Sh30,000 from the sale of mangoes, and members anticipate a further increase in future.
“Local vendors are still our major customers, but we are liaising with institutions and hotels to expand the market scope. The proceeds have boosted our group’s loans and savings kitty,” said Oketch.
Wima recently constructed the fifth greenhouse from mango fruit sales and members are now fending for their families comfortably. Encouraged by the positive returns, the group plans to expand the horticultural production. However, water shortage during the dry season remains a challenge.
“This project is a real life changer for residents here, so it is our prayer that there will be another phase to help more families,” she says. The horticultural project is now self-financing and self-sustaining even without further funding from LVEMP II.
According to Basil Murila, LVEMP II-Kenya Community Development Officer, such projects are implemented through a natural resources conservation and livelihood improvement, community capacity building and participation project.