Since inception, Cereal Growers Association (CGA) has worked with over 160,000 farmers. Out of the 160,000 farmers ninety five percent (95%) are small holder farmers. Since agriculture in Kenya is a devolved function, county governments have undertaken the mandate of providing extension services to farmers. However, this is only a drop in the ocean as the public sector ratio of front-line extension workers to farmers is about 1:1000. This is in comparison to the desired level of 1:400. This is according to the National Agriculture Sector Extension Policy (NASEP), of 2012.
This ‘under supply’ of extension services calls for a change in tact. This is to help ensure that farmers continue getting relevant information and services to improve their farming methods, increase outputs and ultimately their livelihoods.
Addressing the extension services demand gap
There has been a rise in the provision of extension services by the private sector and development partners. They have employed several models including the famous of Training of Trainers (ToT) model to try to fill the gap. While some of the tactics employed have worked, some have had their fair share of challenges and limitations.
To help bridge a number of these underlying gaps, CGA has rolled out a new and sustainable model that is owned by farmers themselves. One of the major drives to this model is the realization that ownership is key as it spurs commitment, self-initiatives and self-reliance from the farming folk.
The model is dubbed CGA farmer champions. These champions are drawn from skillful men and women practicing agribusiness. The concerned farmers have a sitting among themselves and carry out an analysis of the existing challenges, diagnose the challenges, ask relevant questions and select/nominate an individual based on agreed criteria set by them to be their adviser/champion.
Pre-requisite Training
After the selection of these champions, CGA equips them with the requisite knowledge on issues affecting farmers. These training is of essence since it equips the champions with necessary skills to train/facilitate, guide, advice and mobilize fellow farmers for specific activities. CGA also offers specific training that is tailor made according to the needs of the farmers with the intention of enabling them to tackle specific challenges.
The topics in these tailor-made topics are agreed upon after a deep analysis and diagnosis of the farmers challenges.
CGA is piloting the concept in the counties of Narok and Nakuru and intends to expand to other counties soon. The idea started off with a unique training on gross margins and cash flow management analysis that addresses the gap of farmers not being able to analyse the performance of their farms as an Agri-enterprise. A lot of farmers have little or no cash projections and have no idea whether their farms are making a profit or loss within a specified period.
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Cash flow management
Through the training, farmers now become better equipped to properly plan and budget for all farm expenditure. CGA has developed a simplified template to help farmers keep track of farm expenses which ultimately helps them determine how much profit or loss their farm makes.
The cash flow management tool also helps the farmers in coming up with cash projections in a cropping season, the farmers get to know their cash requirements per month in advance.
After undergoing this kind of training, a farmer can then make better decisions about the agri-enterprise, identify strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvements.
The CGA farmers advisors/champions normally make schedules/plan of activities with their groups, this can be shared with other partners and they join the farmers in the activities. For instance the case of Nakuru County, there is an understanding between CGA and County agribusiness department to join farmers in the training. The county has got plans to do a business plan for farmers, and this offers an opportune avenue to achieve this especially to already trained farmers on Gross Margins and Cash Flow Management.
CGA views this approach as a way of equipping the farming community with necessary technical knowledge and information and offer linkages meant to improve the farmers livelihoods while putting farmers together with the CGA champions at the centre of it.
Bravo to all CGA champions doing a great job out there!