The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is implementing the project “AgrInvest - Enabling inclusive and efficient private sector investment in agri-food systems” (AgrInvest-FS), to foster SDG-aligned investments in agri-food systems in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya and the Niger.

In Kenya, the project identified African indigenous vegetables as a promising value chain to unlock sustainable investments thanks to their high potential in contributing to food and nutrition security as well as creating rural employment especially for women and youth. For this reason, in Kenya, AgrInvest-FS is supporting the Nyamira North Women SACCO, a women-led Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) to grow and sell indigenous vegetables to a private food enterprise, Mace Foods, establishing formal contractual arrangements. Mace Foods is a processing company based in the Nyamira County that sources indigenous vegetables, dehydrates the products and sells them in both local and international markets.

The project facilitated the establishment of contractual agreements between Mace Foods and the Nyamira North Women SACCO. Since the formalization of the partnership, the SACCO has delivered a weekly average of 500 kg of products, totalling 18.5 tons so far valued at KES 1 000 000. The SACCO has gone ahead and delivered other indigenous vegetables outside the contract like Kunde (Cowpeas), Managu (Black Nightshade) and Dodo (Common Amaranth) worth KES 220 800. Mace Foods have reached out to the SACCO to supplement these supplies when they experienced shortages from their other regular suppliers.

Indigenous Vegetables producer from the Nyamira North Women SACCO, a women-led Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) in Kenya

AgrInvest-FS in partnership with Nyamira County Government is supporting the women-based organization to achieve consistent supply by ensuring there is adequate planning of production schedules and good agronomic practices. The project is also supporting the SACCO to mobilize funds to acquire cold storage facilities that will go a long way towards improving the quality and quantity of the vegetables sold.