- More than 7,000 onion farmers join forces through a new cooperative
- Farmers set to access inputs, equipment and improved market opportunities
- New facilities aim to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen farmer incomes
More than 7,000 onion farmers in Kieni West, Nyeri County, are set to receive farm inputs, post-harvest facilities and improved market access following the launch of a new farmers’ cooperative.
The Kieni West Onions Farmers’ Cooperative is expected to help growers pool resources, purchase farm equipment collectively and strengthen their bargaining power when sourcing inputs and selling their produce.
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen, who presided over the launch at St George’s, Gataragwa grounds, said the initiative was part of government efforts to raise household incomes and strengthen food security.
Murkomen helped raise more than Ksh5 million during the event, which will serve as seed capital for the new cooperative.
The CS also delivered onion seeds worth Ksh700,000 from the Ministry of Agriculture and announced plans by the ministry to construct a greenhouse and provide two onion driers to help farmers cut post-harvest losses.
The farmers will also receive capacity-building support valued at Ksh1 million to equip them with skills in modern onion farming practices and emerging trends in the sector.
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Murkomen said the government would continue supporting similar initiatives to make agriculture a more profitable venture for local households.
He cited the fertiliser subsidy programme as one of the measures aimed at lowering production costs, saying the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of fertiliser had dropped from nearly Ksh7,000 in 2021 to about Ksh2,000 currently.
The CS also pointed to reforms in the coffee sector, saying farmers who previously earned between Ksh60 and Ksh70 per kilogramme of cherry are now earning between Ksh100 and Ksh150.
He linked the interventions to the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), saying the goal was to ensure ordinary farmers benefit directly from economic activity.
“As a government we are here to support the farmers and ensure that we help them make a living through farming and, most importantly, supporting them by making the venture profitable and putting money in their pockets,” said Murkomen.
Kieni West Onions Farmers’ Cooperative chairman Joseph Wachira said the new cooperative would address some of the longstanding challenges limiting farmers from fully benefiting from onion farming.
“The cost of production has kept many potential farmers from venturing into onion farming. Currently, a farmer needs between Ksh30,000 and Ksh40,000 in order to buy enough onion seeds for one acre. This is very expensive, especially if you consider that this excludes the cost of other inputs such as herbicides and fertiliser, which are also expensive,” he said.
The cooperative also plans to invest in onion driers and proper storage facilities, allowing farmers to hold their produce while looking for better prices instead of selling immediately after harvest.
By Lizzy Aluga
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