New market will help farmers sell produce directly to consumers. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Kenyan farmers will soon have their own market where they sell
produce directly to consumers, cutting off the traditional value chain
that is replete with middlemen.
The Nairobi Farmers
Market, which is under construction in the upmarket Runda Estate, off
Kiambu Road, will contain 45 stalls that are exclusively operated by
farmers.
This borrows from international practice where
most cities have farmers markets that supply produce direct from the
farms to the consumers. While some provide temporary selling space for
different farmers on a day-to-day basis, others lease out permanent
shops that are operated by individual farmers who take the space on a
long-term basis.
“We are essentially addressing the
contradiction where farm-gate prices for cabbages, for example, are less
than Sh10 a piece but the consumer pays Sh60. In-between numerous
traders, brokers and county levy collectors eat the sweat from the
farmer and the savings from the consumer. We are creating a facility
that will be a big help for both the farmer and the consumer,” says Mr
Mashine Munene, the Project Manager.
He says the other
concern the market will address will be traceability of produce and
guarantee of good agricultural practices. All the farmers/shop owners
will have to submit to regular inspections and certification, similar to
what is required of export produce.
Fresh produce
Questions
have been asked about some of the fresh produce sold in Kenya, with
suspicions that some of it is grown with sewage and other polluted
water.
The proposed market, which is expected to open
in July, will contain sections for fresh produce, Beef, fish and poultry
products, dairy produce and a grains section. The Mwea Rice Centre
within the market, for example, promises to provide “Mwea rice at Mwea
prices” – a potentially revolutionary approach that will ensure great
conveniences for Nairobi shoppers keen on the popular Pishori rice.
The market developers say they will encourage stall owners to
contract and supervise small-scale growers to ensure sufficient supplies
within the set quality guidelines while also spreading the benefits of
the market to more farmers.
By aggregating produce
from the many farmers in the market, they hope to create a secondary
outlet for supplying institutional customers such as hotels,
restaurants, schools and hospitals. This will ensure and an expansive
market potential that can provide an outlet for thousands of farmers.
“We
will encourage shop owners to sign up outgrowers across the country,
and even to work with County Governments where necessary. This way we
can create an efficient road to market for the exceptional pineapple
growers of Homa Bay, the sweet potato farmers in Kakamega and the honey
producers in Baringo and elsewhere. We are creating a platform that
offers guarantees at both the supply and demand side of the equation and
hopefully we can provide some stability for everyone,” says Mr Munene.
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