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Operation Fukuza Umaskini Mashinani- Please assist...
Rank: Member Joined: 4/25/2011 Posts: 368 Location: Nairobi
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@Washiku. This is great. The best way is to work backwards. First identify a product with a good market. Give priority to a product that is not seasonal. Once you identify the product, work backwards to ensure you meet a significant part of the demand. For horticulture, you need to be careful because it is also seasonal and even those companies that buy from farmers will not collect the produce when the demand in Europe is poor. However, I must say Homegrown was the best company to engage with (although I understand it was sold). They would would enter into a contract with farmers and they would collect your produce whether there was demand or not and their price was fairly good. However, they would only engage farmers with some level of financial muscle and those who would adhere to their quality guidelines. They would supply seeds, chemical and recover from sales proceeds and their agronomists would be available at no cost. If any company does this, I would greatly resolve the issue of financing.
I guess the best way to do is either starting your self or start with serious guys with some form of financial muscle. The others would join latter
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Rank: Elder Joined: 7/20/2007 Posts: 4,432
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This is a superb idea but your going about it backwards.
First identify what the problem is.
If the problem is that farmers can't get a good market and are being screwed by brokers, then start an NGO.
If the problem is that I'm eating horrible food whose source may be the remanants of kileleshwa toilets, then you are in business.
I do agree that getting 100 farmers to agree on anything is impossible. I know I have tried with just 20. All of a sudden you start being told about the witchcraft so and so is doing.
What I'd ask is...f*** the being nice to farmers thing. Be nice to the consumer.
It's the consumer who's going to make your business, not the farmer. In fact, if you had as much land as 10 farmers, you probably wouldn't think about the other farmers.
So what does the consumer want. Then you will be able to find the farmers who are willing to do their best to give the consumer what he needs and their's your market and your money.
It seems you have a decision to make. Being an NGO or a business.
I can give you a platform if you wish. I did it with the thought of being nice. Now its abandoned but let's see if we can't work out something.
So I offer my online marketing skills to your idea. Condition being you stop being nice to people who steal fuel from a tanker. Just think of the consumer first. Jose: If I make it through this thug life, I'll see you one day. The Lord is the only way to stop the hurt.
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Rank: Chief Joined: 5/9/2007 Posts: 13,095
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I am humbled by your ideas guys. Sincerely appreciate. A few things coming out strongly
1. Numbers-Start small. You cant start with a coperative society as Mcreggae calls it.
2. Get a way of the people owning it. Sio NGO. Nkt.
3. Define the product clearly.
4. Start with the end in mind: Consumer.
5. The process: Its coming out clearly there cud be other ways of execution that cud be easier n better.
Nashukuru....
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Rank: Elder Joined: 1/17/2013 Posts: 4,693 Location: Earth
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washiku wrote: There are several companies that could offer the market for such eg Homegrown, Homegrown became Finlays long ago.-I bet they have now fully settled in Naivasha.
Finlays operate their own farms in Timau,Naivasha and somewhere else to serve their markets abroad.
They also use dudutech in their farms to avoid the use of chemicals as per the market requirements.
Most of these export companies don't source the market for growers.Their work is to ship what you bring to them,though it's good to know them because a buyer may place an inquiry for certain veges through them.
Just a tip, Avocadoes have huge market in the Middle East-dxb,kuwait,SA,France hata Norway! So if you come across an avocado farmer,I can link you with maersk line trainers who will teach them about the variety required for export and how to harvest them from the trees-very critical.
Not a bad idea.Just challenging
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 2/21/2012 Posts: 1,739
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Mukiri wrote:McReggae wrote:10000 is more than enough to form a farmers co-operative society!
smh  Some comments yawah! Omera, other than drinking and singing the fisherman's praises what are you(and him) doing to improve the livelihoods of the impoverished people back home?
@Musilent. Hatutaki matusi hapa. Sawa? ...and do you mean to say that @Reggae lover is a searial drinker or what?....and his people are impoverished...
I am not allowing you to.
Lets stick to the post please, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/18/2011 Posts: 12,069 Location: Kianjokoma
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Am wrote:Mukiri wrote:McReggae wrote:10000 is more than enough to form a farmers co-operative society!
smh Some comments yawah! Omera, other than drinking and singing the fisherman's praises what are you(and him) doing to improve the livelihoods of the impoverished people back home?
@Musilent. Hatutaki matusi hapa. Sawa? ...and do you mean to say that @Reggae lover is a searial drinker or what?....and his people are impoverished...
I am not allowing you to.
Lets stick to the post please,
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 2/21/2012 Posts: 1,739
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kysse wrote:washiku wrote: There are several companies that could offer the market for such eg Homegrown, Homegrown became Finlays long ago.-I bet they have now fully settled in Naivasha.
Finlays operate their own farms in Timau,Naivasha and somewhere else to serve their markets abroad.
They also use dudutech in their farms to avoid the use of chemicals as per the market requirements.
Most of these export companies don't source the market for growers.Their work is to ship what you bring to them,though it's good to know them because a buyer may place an inquiry for certain veges through them.
Just a tip, Avocadoes have huge market in the Middle East-dxb,kuwait,SA,France hata Norway! So if you come across an avocado farmer,I can link you with maersk line trainers who will teach them about the variety required for export and how to harvest them from the trees-very critical.
Not a bad idea.Just challenging
@Waciku. The above red part is something you need to clarify with the exporter before anything else.
I do some bit of export farming and can assure you that you are wrong on above statement. Not to kill your dream though yah?
Yes, they may take what you bring, accept and export but do you want to sell your produce at 25/= per kilo when market dictates 65/=?
Greens Export market is dominated by Mhindi and some MEAN Mzungu, worse than a Nyerian!
There lies the problem.
If you look at my earlier post, I Insisted on negotiation (price) with exporters before putting farmers together and selling the idea to them. As soon as market is sorted, the rest is nyweeeeee.
Best. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..
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Rank: Elder Joined: 3/18/2011 Posts: 12,069 Location: Kianjokoma
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@washiku, I like your idea. It's close to what KTDA does with Tea farmers. I was actually pondering over what we need to do to make rural Kenya more attractive. People are refusing to retire there. Electricity connection is not enough. Such ideas could reduce rural-urban migration. Guys leaving acres of land to a life of suffering in the city
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Rank: Veteran Joined: 2/21/2012 Posts: 1,739
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Lolest! wrote:@washiku, I like your idea. It's close to what KTDA does with Tea farmers. I was actually pondering over what we need to do to make rural Kenya more attractive. People are refusing to retire there. Electricity connection is not enough. Such ideas could reduce rural-urban migration. Guys leaving acres of land to a life of suffering in the city
Na wewe Vile nakuonaga hata hauwezi karibia gishagi.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..
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Rank: Chief Joined: 5/9/2007 Posts: 13,095
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@Am, thank you. Your advise fits well with that of concentrating on the consumer first, knowing what the consumer needs, negotiate from that point, then source for the produce.
@Kysse, Thanks a lot. I think I will pursue that line.
@Lollest, Nashukuru. We need to come up with ideas to ensure these guys are utilizing the massive pieces of land lying idle.
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