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Achieving Economic Empowerment

The Farmers Network Project (FNP) has been working with 3,400 farmers in Gilgil and Elburgon, creating networks among village savings and loans groups to promote better farming techniques and methods, and to improve knowledge sharing between farmers.

As a result of the networks farmers are better informed and therefore able to take advantage of developments in agriculture in order to see improved returns and increased income from their crops.

Our Farmers' Network Project empowered farmers to gain valuable agricultural knowledge, establishing 11 new networks in Kenya.

Each network helped farmers master new techniques and tools, grow more commercially profitable crops with stronger yields, and improve their access to markets, so they can get a better price for their work and provide for their families.

Build Africa partnered with the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya to secure profitable pyrethrum seeds for 88 farmers in our Tangi Tano network and estimate that yields of 40kg / acre per month will result in a gross profit of up to 10,000 KES shilling / acre.

In other networks we trained 21 farmers in poultry food preparation to improve the weight of chickens, the size and quantity of their eggs and simple value addition measures such as cleaning their produce. Farmers will be able to negotiate higher prices for this improved produce.

We piloted chickpea contract farming within a network linking Makongo Network with Egerton University. Contract farming explores the potential of farmers putting their goods together to get better prices and steadier income and this is something we continue to explore throughout 2016.

85% of farmers reached by our TECIMP Project proved to have adopted a range of new agricultural practices designed to increase the quality and productivity of orchards and nursery beds, with 15% needing further support. While our eight nurseries successfully produced and transplanted 426,800 seedlings for local use.

In Kenya, our Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) gave 4,000 parents across 60 villages access to vital community-based financial services, helping them save for and invest in their livelihoods or children's learning.