The County Government of Kirinyaga has enhanced the management capacity of officials from its newly launched Ward-Based multi-value chain Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) with a comprehensive training program. The initiative, aimed at empowering SACCO officials, involved 172 participants from 20 wards, focusing on key management skills such as money lending, insurance, and collateral handling.
The capacity-building initiative was delivered in partnership with CIC Insurance and Cooperative Bank, offering valuable insights into effective SACCO operations. These cooperatives were created to provide farmers with essential services like affordable operational capital, savings, credit access, farm inputs, and opportunities for value addition and bulk marketing.
Currently, the SACCOs serve approximately 6,000 farmers across various priority agricultural value chains, including avocado, tomatoes, poultry, bananas, and dairy goats. Farmers were initially organized into Common Interest Groups (CIGs) to ease coordination and enhance cooperation.
Governor Anne Waiguru emphasized that the SACCOs form a crucial component of the Wezesha Kirinyaga Program, which supports farmers in boosting agricultural production to increase household income. The County Government has been proactive in facilitating the formation of these SACCOs by providing office equipment, such as computers and printers, along with Ksh. 12.3 million for initial operational costs, covering statutory documentation, staff training, office rent, and member mobilization.
Dr. John Gachara, the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, highlighted that the SACCOs have raised Ksh. 14.5 million in share capital, registration, and savings, and lent Ksh. 6.5 million to members. This funding has enabled farmers to acquire agricultural inputs and meet other essential needs.
The SACCOs’ ability to offer affordable loans is enabling farmers to transition from subsistence to commercial farming. Officials such as Evangeline Kamau and Cyrus Muchiri expressed their gratitude for the training, noting the significant improvements it would bring to the management and sustainability of their cooperatives.
As the SACCOs continue to grow, they are positioning Kirinyaga’s farmers to become key suppliers for upcoming agro-processing factories at the Sagana Industrial Park, ensuring better economic returns for local farmers.
