Progress and Future
Plans
The initiative had begun to yield measurable progress. Farmers who
previously lacked basic financial records were now able to track their
inputs and plan their production cycles more effectively. The number of
farmers demonstrating “bankable” profiles had increased, setting the
foundation for improved access to credit. Moreover, the integration of
youth into mechanized services and bio-based production had created
new employment pathways beyond traditional farming.
Institutional partnerships had also strengthened governance within the
irrigation scheme, with greater coordination among local authorities,
financial institutions, and farmer cooperatives. The project’s alignment
with Kenya’s national strategies-especially the Bottom-Up Economic
Transformation Agenda and the Agriculture Sector Transformation
Strategy-had reinforced its scalability by directly advancing government
priorities on irrigation, post-harvest loss reduction, farmer organization,
and market access.
By the end of the project the Big5 team had further reinforced
sustainability through its partnership with Sulma Wholefoods, which
ensured that farmers continued to generate income and strengthen their
business models even after the project phase ended. This guaranteed
market link not only stabilized farmer earnings but also attracted
additional interest from financial institutions and private sector actors,
reinforcing long-term viability.
20