Kisumu County government has come up with a comprehensive plan meant to revive the co-operative movement and help them to thrive and further help improve the county’s economic growth.
Speaking during this year’s Ushirika Day celebrations in the County which were held at the YMCA grounds, Kisumu County Executive Committee Member of Trade, Cooperatives, Industry and Marketing Farida Salim, cooperatives societies have been an integral part of the county’s social and economic growth.
“The County government is committed to help our regional and rural Saccos by providing a substantial pool of resources including financial support and enabling the cooperative societies get access to the credit facilities. This will go a long way in strengthening these societies and enabling them to invest in modern technology and infrastructure,” said Salim.
Salim noted that co-operatives in the county over the years have faced numerous challenges, adding that they are committed to provide financial support to the movement through access to affordable credit; due to their vital role the movement play in fostering economic growth.
She added further that her department has come up with a system that will enable Saccos work closely with stakeholders to offer training and capacity building programs, which will enhance the knowledge and skills of cooperative members and management teams.
“Kisumu County government has partnered with Strathmore University through their USAID sponsored Agency and Voice for Private Sector Program to capacity build cooperative leaders. Global communities have also supported with developing the Kisumu County Cooperative Legislative Draft Policy. The department of Agriculture through the National Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) carried out a county-wide cooperative mapping exercise. This has given us updated data on the cooperative situation in Kisumu County,” she stated.
ALSO READ:
Kenya Seed MD blames subsidized fertilizer for shortage of maize seed in the country
She observed that the county government was keen on promoting good governance practices among co-operatives through providing training, maintaining that the success of their plan does not solely depend on the county government’s efforts and that they will source for more support and collaboration of major stakeholders and partners in the endeavor.
“In our effort to revive the cooperative sector, the county government will facilitate market access and linkages for cooperatives products. By collaborating with various stakeholders, we aim to create marketing strategies that can help cooperative societies sell their products both locally and internationally thereby increasing their profitability and sustainability. Moreover, we are determined to encourage value addition and agro-processing ventures within cooperative societies ensuring they gain more value from their raw materials,” she said.
Edward Matoke, the Chairman- Ushirika Council, Kisumu County acknowledged the pivotal role played by the cooperative movement on the economic development of the county which he mentioned was evidenced in the growth of local Saccos through all the sectors including in agriculture, boda boda among others.
“Because cooperative enterprises in Kisumu County are member-owned and driven, cooperative enterprises are always relevant to the needs of the clients they serve. This provides a measure of stability and sustainability for both the owners and the economies in which they are contained. The profits generated stay local and are invested in the cooperatives,” he said.
By Erick Nyayiera
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
