Celebrating Kenyan Farmers
The Elgon National Farmers Awards celebrated the very best of Kenyan farming by recognizing and rewarding innovation, hard work and passion for agriculture. The awards, now in its fifth year, provided an opportunity to the agricultural sector to showcase the best farmers in the country by telling their stories.
The cream of Kenya’s agriculture came together to celebrate the country’s best farmers at the Elgon National Farmers competition Awards on 2nd February 2018. Hundreds of farmers and industry stalwarts gathered for a gala dinner and awards presentation at the Laico hotel. Winners and guests danced into the early hours following an awards ceremony hosted by Elgon Kenya Ltd.
About 21 top farmers from different parts of the country were awarded during the fifth National Farmers Awards Competition gala. The competition which takes place every year has seven categories with an extra eighth category which was launched during the gala that is horticulture category: A top farmer and two runners up from every category are awarded trophies, some cash and farm inputs from the event sponsors.
The categories included youth in agriculture, women in agriculture, physically challenged in agriculture, large scale agro-input, small scale agro input, large scale fully commercialised, small scale fully commercialised and now the eighth category large commercial growers in horticultural sector anticipated to be celebrated in this year’s awards.
The competition is a partnership between Elgon Kenya and the Ministry of Agriculture. Other sponsors involved with the awards included BASF East Africa, Arysta Science and Seeds of Gold.
Simon, the principal agriculture officer at State Department of Agriculture and one of the judges said, “Judging is a rigorous process which begins at the sub-county level. Winners from that level are then grouped for judging at the county level then finally at the national level”. “We were keen on the use of technology, environmental conservation, marketing and farm records,” he said, adding that besides judging they also give recommendations to help farmers improve their farms.
He, however, said those who were enrolled in 2017 are not eligible for the 2018 competition. “We want to give more time for improvement, and those re-entering after three years should demonstrate improvement. We also encourage inter-visits among farmers involved in the competition to enhance knowledge sharing.”
Winning Ways
- Ambitious plans to get fresh produce to the markets year-round
- Investing heavily in modern technologies and techniques
- Identifying value-added opportunities such as quality dairy breed
- Infectious enthusiasm for farming
Blind Farmer Scoops Top Award
Nyeri-based Anthony King’ori is pushing small scale farming top to the fore, leading the county’s revival of dairy and coffee growing by investing millions to better compete with other farming counties.
Today, his farm in Othaya, Nyeri County, teams with towering banana plants, vegetables, tomatoes and coffee trees and mooing of cows.
The small-scale farmer, who rears dairy cows, grows batian coffee and vegetables on a two-acre plot was the night’s top farmer under the ‘physically challenged category’. The blind farmer studiously took a stair after another on his way to the stage with his wife’s steadying hand guiding him.
Identifying a big market for “his milk and fresh farm produce” is not a big headache since Othaya market which is just a few kilometres from his home offers ready customers with some traders also buying the produce at the farm.
The business is pushing to get to the point where consumers will be able to buy quality vegetables throughout the year; Anthony is committing to grow more to continually supply beyond his home county.
Speaking exclusively to Cereals Magazine, Mr. Kingori said, “Initially, I concentrated on coffee only then I re-established the venture to include dairy cows and horticultural crops such as cabbages, kales and spinach. Through the new ventures I knew I could significantly enhance my income to support my family,” said the farmer.
Mr. Kingori has also invested in embryo transfer fertilisation to boost his local inferior breeds to produce pedigree calves and more milk. He has also dug over five pits which he uses for silage making and storing fodder for dry days. He has employed two farm assistants but he occasionally helps them in some technical issues.
The business prides itself on having some of the ultra most modern technologies to best farm management, proper record keeping and usage of the best agronomic practices. This system also means it is easier to manage and requires less handling, which is helping to bring down operational costs and maximize on returns.
‘Unique understanding’
Mr. Kingori is a name that’s known across agriculture. The piece of work for which he’s perhaps best known is proving that disability is not inability. Fellow farmers, companies, organisations, charities and politicians respect him as a man who has been a tireless advocate of the industry. Whether it’s at home on his Othaya farm, or in other farming forums, where he occasionally features, Mr. King’ori has always been a champion of farmers.
Meanwhile, a bench member says: “He is articulate, but he also listens to people. He knows the industry inside out. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to farming in his 25 years as an agricultural extension officer, farmers described how his insight, vision and innovation reshaped farming and talked of his remarkable ability to find solutions to complex problems”.
Some of his neighbours described him as “quite simply the wisest, brightest, kindest, most creative and energetic person to work with, it has ever been our privilege to work with him”. “Good’ is a word that is rather overused, but it’s absolutely the right word for him. He is a really good man – not just in terms of what he does for the industry, but what he does in his personal life. He cares about people. That’s why people admire him and work for him.” “When Kingori talks about farming you can see his face light up as he remembers the young lad of 16, desperate to go out work on the family farm in Othaya. As a result, he has a unique understanding of the industry and of its people who are so keen to get their first opportunity.”
A Great Marketing Platform
Bimal Kantaria, CEO Elgon Kenya, the chief sponsor of the event, announced that they have introduced the eighth category in the 2018 contest targeting big flower farmers and horticultural farms. Mr Kantaria further indicated that the contest whose judging panel is drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture is a great marketing platform for upcoming farmers besides being an opening for smallholder farmers to becoming better and innovative farmers.
Thomas Kipkorir, Country Manager BASF said they have introduced disposable safety kits for farmers to help in protecting the environment and health of farmers.
Ann Onyango, Agriculture Secretary at Agriculture ministry, said she was happy the award has grown to attract more sponsors. “The idea started as a unique collaboration between Ministry of Agriculture and Elgon Kenya but now it has attracted many sponsors and it is increasingly becoming more competitive every year. We appreciate the role of the private sector in supplementing the work of the government,” she said, emphasizing the inclusion of youth and women in agriculture.
Franklin Bett, chairman Agricultural Finance Corporations, indicated that AFC has 46 branches countrywide but there are plans to have branches in every county to enable more farmers to access loans to boost their farming activities.
He added that they are bench marking with other countries lending to farmers without collateral to make sure even farmers without securities can access loans.
“Our biggest challenge right now is the high rate of loan defaulting. Many farmers take huge loans from AFC and fail to repay then ask the government to give them a waiver,” said Mr Bett. “This time we only want to deal with serious farmers.”
Winners
Youth in Agriculture
- Nicholus Njogu - Muranga County
- Josphat Kipruto - Uasin Gishu County
- Mohamed Abdalla - Kilifi County
Small scale farm gearing to commercialisation
- Lucy park - Kiambu County
- Lulu Farm - Vihiga County
- Mary Wairiumu Oloo - Trans Nzoia County
Physically challenged in Agriculture
- Anthony Kingori - Nyeri County
- Francis Kimani - Laikipia County
- Allice Mukami -
Women in agriculture
- Gladys Migwi - Nyeri county
- Hellen Wairimu - Nyandarua
- Nelly Enterprises - Kilifi
Large scale agro–input dealer, over Sh5million investment
- Josemo distributors - Kisii County
- Tarakwa Agrochemicals - Nandi County
- Muhoroni Agrochemicals - Kisumu County
Small scale agro-input dealers, less than Sh5million investment
- Beatrice Okello - Kisumu
- Green Track Investment - Laikipia
- Safina Farmers Ark - Vihiga
Small scale farms fully commercialized
- Peris Gitau - Nakuru
- Robert Githua - Nyeri
- Kenneth Ongenge - Bungoma County
Large scale fully commercialized
- Fresh gold Kenya - Laikipia
- Eldonyo-Narok - Narok County
- Patbon Investment - Kilifi
From the Sponsors Desk
In a classic example of how public private partnership can work for the benefit of the economy and its countrymen; Elgon Kenya Limited has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture to organise The National Farmers Competition Award, now on its fifth year it is meant to celebrate the country’s unsung heroes who have surmounted odds to provide for millions and through their ventures oil the economy.
Kenyan farmers have been among the region’s most unlucky. From erratic supply and price of fertilizer in recent times, to late delivery of planting materials like seeds which have ultimately affected planting and harvesting seasons and lack of ready markets. Farmers have nevertheless braved new and emerging challenges to keep business and the profession going.
Elgon Kenya Limited, a regional agro input behemoth, inspired by the hard work of millions of smallholder farmers has committed to reward them in an yearly basis, working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture. “We have sought to return the dignity of the soil and appreciate the immense contribution that goes into placing food in the table of millions of Kenyan families. With these awards, we just don’t want people to enjoy their meals. We want them to also remember what goes on in the production of that food. From the first seed planted to the bunch they buy in the markets,” said Bimal Kantaria Elgon Kenya Director.
The National Farmers Competition Award Scheme replaced the famous “Presidential Farmers’ Competitions Award Scheme” which the Ministry of Agriculture had been conducting annually covering all the provinces in three competition categories namely: Large Scale Mixed Farms, Small Scale Mixed farms and the Agricultural Training Centres.
Consequently, in a bid to prove that their kind of farming is all inclusive and responsible, the competitors especially those in the large scale farm categories will be graded on their level of commitment to environmental protection,climate change mitigation measures, the use of modern technological ways of farming and working environmental improvement issues among other criteria.
“We hope to keep improving the awards every year but we are overly excited with this one. This is not just rewarding farmers, it is also playing our part as a company to make the world a better place, “said Nelson Maina the Head of Communication at Elgon Kenya.
Elgon Kenya head of communications Nelson Maina said the fifth edition of the scheme is an indication the awards have grown to be an important event in the country’s farming calendar since the inaugural winners were honoured in 2013.“This year’s awards comes at a time when more farmers and county governments continue expressing growing interest in the awards that have grown in status and numbers”, said Mr Maina.
“With these awards we seek to return dignity to the soils and reward a constituency that works tirelessly to keep the country fed despite all the odds,” said Bimal Kantaria, Elgon Kenya managing director and awards patron.
Kenya’s agricultural sector is the nerve of the economy contributing a quarter of the country’s earning and employing over 75 percent of the population both directly and indirectly. Experts from the sector are relied upon by the government in delivery of important public services.