Market Linkages With Conservation Agriculture

Training farmers on CA technologies without linking them to market does not make it a complete package.

he essence of market linkage is to encourage the farmers to take up agriculture as a business, move from farming for food to farming for sale. This means moving from relief food to bountiful. This also brings in the aspect of service providers who, since CA is less labor intensive and fast, they can be able to achieve large acreage and this translates to larger areas being put under cultivation.

Market linkage is an added advantage in promoting CA technology, with the promising season underway, farmers are encouraged to create producer groups so that they can sell their produce collectively. This calls for early planting (dry planting) with the use of new technology since it’s a sure way of crop performance due to maximum utilization of the available rains. Service provision is highly demanded at this point.

Under the CA4 food security project, Market linkage to the farmers in Machakos County has given farmers a new meaning to plant the less desired but well performing crops like dolichos and sorghum. These two crops are tolerant to drought, a problem that has become rampant in this area. Farmers had previously neglected these crops due to lack of knowledge to market access but now they are willing to plant them.

Another problem that farmers foresaw was the availability of C.A equipment. There is shortage of service providers, from artisans who fabricate the equipment to people who offer CA services. The training conducted during this period, involved service provider training giving them business options from offering C.A services to farmers and also fabrication of the equipment. Linking these service providers to financial institutions gave the service providers a hope since they were informed on how they can acquire the equipment through credit facilities.

Farmers on the other hand were trained on alternative ways of using the available equipment since planting season is near, and most of the farmers are not able to purchase the same equipment. This gave hope to farmers who are willing to start conservation agriculture even without the proper tools. Use of Hand ripper, a wide jembe for scrapping weeds, were some of the alternatives. This proved a less laborious task to the normal conservation they were used to. Farmers were delighted to practice C.A and even promised to begin as soon as the coming season.

Farmers were excited to meet the produce buyer who was willing to sign contracts with the farmers after they have formed common collecting points, headed by the group officials. This turns out to be a new dawn to the Machakos people as many farmers are willing to do conservation agriculture, a sure way of food security which in turn they get a ready market for the produce.

Other partners who were involved in the meeting and training the farmers on different aspects that entailed farming include Soil cares limited, a company that deals with soil analysis were involved, Solar Yetu also promoted on energy saving and environmental friendly lamps and jikos, The Katoloni Mission C.B.O organized the whole community to come and learn on this technology.

With partnership, and interaction with the whole community, a farmer is assured of improved food security, improved lifestyle and a better future. Service providers, have seen the potential of agribusiness since its less laborious and faster, meaning more acreage and hence translating to more food being produced.

Article written by : Joyce Mbingo Field Officer Machakos County