UN WFP Wajir county Agripreneurs orientation workshop

The UN World Food Program (WFP) in association with Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA), Kuza Biashara, the County Government of Marsabit and Cereal Growers Association (CGA) conducted an orientation workshop for Farmer Service Centres (FSCs) across Wajir. FSCs are Agripreneurs who act as key hubs in the farming community. They provide bundled services to a cohort of small farmers within their community and earn commissions on the products and services they offer eg., agriculture inputs, post harvest solutions, farm services, market linkages etc.,  The FSC orientation workshop was held on  4 Jun 2022 in Eldas town, Kenya and was attended by the Deputy Director Trade and Industrialization, Director Irrigation and Director for Livestock and the Sub County Agricultural Officers and the WFP & CGA representatives. The selected  FSCs were from four wards of Wajir: Bute, Bona, Korondile and Wajir East from two Sub-Counties: North and South Wajir. There was equal representation of women  and youth in the program and were from actively established farming groups. The FSCs were majorly into fruit production (pawpaw, lemon, guava and watermelon), beekeeping, fodder production, poultry farming, production & value addition of camel milk and agrovet. Kuza Mentor, Ms. Rachael Akinyi conducted the orientation session to train FSCs on business management,  writing a business plan and the 15 week Leadership Academy program. The Mentor also oriented them on the Agribytes digital platform that was customized with bite sized HD video content on the good agricultural practices for drought resilient value chains like agroforestry, fruit farming, beekeeping and poultry farming.  Kuza mentors would support the selected FSCs through a 15 week MBA style leadership program to equip them with technical and business skills needed, and hand hold them in providing digital extension services to their respective cohorts of smallholder farmers Kuza’s Leadership Academy is a 12-15 week MBA style leadership program targeted at agri entrepreneurs, MSMEs and lead farmers. The hybrid model provides them the flexibility to learn at their own pace, convenience, reflect, and apply the learnings onto their own businesses. Over 5,000  agri entrepreneurs supported by the governments, private and development sector have benefited from this program across Africa and Asia.