MAINTAINING MARKET STANDARDS AT ARINA CLUSTER GROUP.

On 2^nd of April 2012, we joined Arina Cluster group during ‘sim sim’ for export planting. The group is registered as a self help group with 20 members (12 M & 8 F) whose main objective is to focus its efforts to adopt new modern method of farming through practicing good agronomic practices. The group was formed by C-MAD-CEFA in the year 2009.

Activities of the group:

·         Groundnuts production

·         Sim sim production

·         Bee Keeping

·         Chilly production

·         Group saving and loaning scheme

·         Behaviour change and communication targeting couple in our community because there are effects of HIV/AIDS in agriculture.

The group partners with:

• ·         CEFA - C-MAD
• ·         Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre (ALIN)
• ·         MOA / Livestock
• ·         Mace Food
• ·         Rusodev
• ·         Ministry of Social services
• ·         Co-operative Bank
• ·         Plan International

On this day, CEFA teams were here together with ALIN team to ensure that the contracted farmers planted the ‘sim sim’ in the right procedure to achieve the best quality products. The major reason why we had to do this is because the contractor/buyer had given out the seeds for the production and was also the ready market for the same for export. More than 4 acres were sawn.

The idea was brilliant but our farmers need to take the support they are being given very serious in that after a few lines demo, the advisor needs not to stick by them until we are done with the last line to ensure it is done rightly. I believe this market is for the good of them and therefore they need to show appreciation by doing it right.

Otherwise the ‘the sim sim’ have germinated very nicely and we are both looking forward for the best result. We have also trained the three officials of the group Mr. Morris Ombili, Mrs. Angelina Akello and Mr. Joseph Odhiambo and they are able to access other best ways of managing the product in the farm and during post harvesting.

Contact person: Joseph Odhiambo 0728-984 597

·         IMPACT: yet to be realized after the harvest and market probably in July - August 2012.