Farm Concern International (FCI)
“The Establishment of Commercial Villages Stores (CVS)”
Farm Concern International has been undertaking various smallholder commercialization initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of poor communities along mainstream markets in Africa, among them “The Grain Marketing Initiative’ in Kenya (Meru&Tharaka) and Uganda (Bushenyi).
Currently, grains marketing is farm-gate oriented characterized by numerous traders who buy the produce from individual farmers at relatively low prices during peak seasons to hoard and speculate on prices. Surplus of produce during peak seasons results to downward pressure on producer prices hence necessitating storage for sale of the surplus during off peak seasons at higher prices for the benefit of smallholder producers. In addition there have been over 40% post harvest losses attributed to poor storage, pests and other abiotic factors.
FCI’s grant support from COMPETE will address the below constraints :
- Individualized selling at low prices
- Poor quality
- Post harvest losses
The objective of the grant is to structure grain marketing systems through establishment of village-based storage facilities for smallholders’ enhanced market access.
Country: Kenya and Uganda
Grant Timeline: September 14th, 2009 – September 13th, 2011
Total Amount: $320,000
E-mail: info@farmconcern.org
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