How farmers are benefiting from digital marketing platforms

By Nicholas Waitathu 

Linking small scale farmers to the market through digital promotion platforms has contributed to control of postharvest losses of potatoes in Nyandarua and Nakuru counties respectively, agriculture stakeholders confirm.

Research agencies – Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) believe that assisting farmers to sell their produce digitally has led to reduction of post-harvest losses and other wastage along the value chain.

“Using digital marketing platforms to sell their produce, farmers are enjoying increased production in every season and earning impressive income. This has almost solved the problem of massive wastage of food especially to those farmers who do not have modern storage facilities,” said Dr. Joshua Okonya Program Officer for ASARECA in Murungaru area of Nyandarua county during a workshop on enhancing digital literacy of farmers in the utilization of the Viazi soko and Agri Bora platforms for market linkages in Kenya.

ASARECA together with KALRO has been implementing a European Union funded programme -Strengthening Agricultural knowledge and the Innovation ecosystem for inclusive Rural Transformation and livelihoods in Eastern Africa (AIRTEA) project in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.  The programme has focused on various value chains, -maize, potato and dairy farming with farmers trained on good agricultural practices and linking them to digital marketers. 

“Late last year we shortlisted 15 digital marketers of food crops out of which farmers picked Agribora and Viazi Sokomarketers which currently are marketing farmers produce in various markets. There is a lot of change as online marketing has contributed to reduction of post-harvest losses significantly and smallholder farmers are enjoying impressive income in addition to high production,” said Dr. Okonya.

Estimated at between 30% to 40% annually by the ministry of agriculture and other stakeholders, increased post-harvest losses has led to the majority of farmers abandoning farming and shifting to other economic activities. 

But interventions such as linking farmers to digital marketers Dr. Okanya has yielded good results with farmers smiling all the way to the banks as they have managed to sustain produce supply in the market and reduced enormous waste at the farm level.  The digital platforms have equally led to sourcing of certified seeds from agrovets and farm inputs shops.  

Stepehn Kuria a small scale farmer from Memo village in Nyandarua County attests to more benefits as he has increased potato production by almost 400 per cent courtesy of the introduction of digital marketing platforms. 

Kuria is among few farmers in Nyandarua County enjoying improved potato production of close to 400 per cent and earning impressive incomes as digital marketers have assisted them to sell the produce to new markets. 

“We are happy farmers today as through the digital platforms we are able to sell the produce to identified buyers who come for the commodity in our farms. This has contributed to reduction in post-harvest losses and making it easy for us to receive payment in good times on our phones. We have equally benefited from induction on good agricultural practices and forming groups to enhance our bargaining power,” said Kuria in his farm at Memo village.

Four years ago, Kuria could only manage close to two tonnes of potatoes from half an acre but after undergoing training on good agricultural practices from various stakeholders, he expanded the farming area to three acres and now produces almost 10 tonnes of potatoes.  The increase in production has also boosted proceeds enabling the farmers to meet their daily financial obligations. 

“I have managed to buy a motorcycle thus being able to transport my produce from the farm to the market in good time over and above others. further, the increase in earnings has enabled us to undertake more development  in our farms in addition to financing education of children and other needs,” he added. 

Kibet Rotich from Elburgon in Nakuru County attests to more benefits he has benefited with under the programme.

Rotich, a member of 147 Yator cooperative society, confirmed that the group has benefited from clean seeds from the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK).

“Currently, we are doing potato farming with 147 farmers who are members of Yator Cooperative Society. Using the Viazi soko app of NPCK we order between 300 and 400 bags of clean seeds from different companies and the quantity is delivered to their farms,” said Rotich.

In Elburgon, NPCK CEO Wachira Kaguongo said that through the platform his organization is registering farmers and helping them to order inputs as well as sell through the digital platform.

 “There is a lot of change on the ground as farmers intensify their commitment to farm more potatoes. We intend to register over 400,000 farmers in the next three years,” he said.

Kaguongo says the council is endeavouring to showcase and train on the various potato varieties in the market. 

Henry Chemjor from the Viazi Soko platform said that since the system was launched in February 2021 has currently registered 119,021 farmers with 4,737 smallholder farmers accessing certified potato seeds worth Sh112 million.