How Farmer – processor radio conversations became the key in unlocking banana markets access potential.
The small-scale farmer in Kenya is today plagued with more challenges than ever. Even after the farmer navigates successfully the challenges of climate change, declining soil fertility, proliferation of fake seeds and other input, combat with pests and diseases and finally post harvest management to protect his produce, he is forced to grapple with the challenge of accessing markets.
The process of getting produce to the market has become vicious. The influx of many players complicates the end tail of the value chain. The farmer continues to carry the burden of ensuring his produce is well stored, gets to the market, find buyers and negotiate prices.
So, what discussions should we have to ensure small scale farmers in Kenya find buyers who will pay them a fair price for their hard-earned produce to motivate them to produce more?
This very important question was discussed in one of the TOF Radio vernacular radio programs targeting Kisii speaking farmers. The live and participatory program featured a banana processor, a key off taker of the main crop grown in Kisii, was aired via Getembe FM.
TOF Radio programs have been deliberately designed as Participatory Radio Programss (PRPs) featuring the voices of farmers who discuss their experiences and experts knowledge on the various aspects of the value chain dynamics.
Jared Omiso is one such expert who was featured on TOF Radio Kisii vernacular program. He is the proprietor together with Aska Kerubo Nyakwara of Nyangorora Banana Processors Limited started with the focus of buying raw bananas from farmers and then processing them into different products. The processor is renowned for his brand Ritoke.
Introducing himself at the beginning of the program, he said that he grew up seeing his parents and neighbours selling bananas at throw away prices to brokers. Even at a young age, he saw the opportunity of reaping from the banana fruit by adding value to it.
The entrepreneur processes bananas to a variety of products such as crisps, gluten free flour, banana powder, banana juice, banana wine, banana jam, handbags, table mats, and also supplies high quality animal feeds to farmers, all from banana fruits and waste.
To achieve this dream, he had approached Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) with a proposal on his intention to reduce post- harvest losses and increase the prices of bananas through value addition.
Mr. Omiso caused an uproar when he said that it is very common for unscrupulous processors to take advantage of banana farmers. He gave an example of how a processor buys a bunch of bananas from a desperate farmer for cash at Kshs.300 and ends up making Kshs. 1,300. Once he removes the costs, he ends up with a cool profit of Kshs. 800 from the one bunch of bananas.
This set an avalanche of angry and frustrated phone calls from farmers who expressed their fury at how they continue to be exploited. Most of them said because of this they neglect their banana plantations with some even totally abandoning banana crop.
However, from these ashes of despair came voices of reason.
Mr. Alex Onsongo is one such farmer who called the local radio station to participate in the discussion on how banana farmers continue to be exploited by middlemen. Onsongo says his group had found success in value addition of milk to make yoghurt and he found the program to be quite an eye opener. He said the discussions presented an opportunity to his group to diversify into banana value addition. He noted that bananas were in plenty within his locality. Mr. Onsongo told the radio presenter Lydia Kemunto that the secret to value addition lies in farmers forming groups which then can come together to form cooperatives. He said that it is easier for members to get support when in a group from training to funds for value addition. He also revealed to the listeners that the County Government of Kisii had set aside some funds to support farmer cooperatives. He appealed to the Kisii farmers cooperatives to come together and lobby for development of policies that will give them access to County institutions market base such as schools, hospitals, county offices, prisons among other institutions.
Listeners hearing success of farmers like Onsongo were spurred into wanting to learn more about cooperatives which is a great step towards the adoption of formation of cooperatives.
Farmers coming together in groups and cooperatives is at the heart of good practices being promoted by the Farmer Communication Programme (FCP). Farmer cooperatives play a key role in enhancing productivity and access to markets for small holder farmers. Most farmers’ cooperatives in Kenya continue to establish organic inputs distribution systems for their members to access quality inputs and secure markets that offer fair and premium prices.
All the TOF Radio channels that include Milele FM for broadcasting Kiswahili programs, Coro Kikuyu language, Ingo Luhya language, Mutongoi Kamba language, Getembe Kisii language and Emuria community radio have aired Participatory Radio Programs discussing the potentials of cooperatives in enabling farmers to tap premium markets, with impressive participation from the listeners. Farmers have gained knowledge of cooperatives dynamics-and many have requested to be linked with the responsible teams to help them set up cooperatives.
A Participatory Radio Program (PRP) allows farmers to learn about, discuss, and make a decision whether or not to adopt a practice, technique, technology or innovation.
The TOF Radio project is implemented in partnership with Biovision Foundation.