Kenya 2010: Working in Partnership with Farming Collectives Goal: Co-develop business practices

with farming groups through development of two product lines: Amaranth grain Kanga cloth design

Information gathering & data collection: one-to-one interviews; focus group discussions; community meeting

Presentation of prototypes

Amaranth Grain

Conducted 14 interviews 10 individual farmers 4 group leaders representing

farming co-operative Community Meeting: 80 farmers

from all 5 micro catchments in Gem District (Lake Victoria Region)

Collected information on production, production costs, market prices, storage and collection areas, milling, packaging, consumer demand, & selling of amaranth

Kanga cloth design

Conducted 7 interviews with women interested in their own exclusive kanga design

Interviewed 3 tailors - shop owners on buying & selling kangas, accounting & cash flow, consumer demand, & knowledge of design production

Presented prototypes of kangas at community meeting

Participatory Action Research: Presenting Prototypes

• Amaranth Seeder (URI)

• Hydrogeologic Measures (URI)

• Ceramic Filter Press: Showed Lou’s powerpoint presentation

to 17 Farmers (men & women)

Outcome of Community Meeting: Marketing of Amaranth

Biggest Challenges: “The processors make all

the profit” Pricing: grain/flour Bulk buyers are unreliable Milling (sieve size) and cost

of mill Difficult to obtain certified

seeds Create a systematic

market/corporation among farmers

Next Steps: Network & Work Together Increase Demand &

Awareness (many ideas) Negotiate with/lobby

millers (specific plan) Regular Group Meetings Intensify Production Determine how to obtain

certified seeds (ideas)* Collect consumer data* Packaging & brochures* Look for ways to partner &

obtain funding*

* Collaborative efforts

Project Follow Up: 2010-2011

Partner with Alour Widow’s Group & Other Farming Collectives via collaboration with Kenya Agricultural & Research Institute, ACESS, Gov’t Ministries, & Universities

Market plan for amaranth: Research regional pricing & conduct joint analyses of pricing: collect data on purchase cycle at individual and organizational level; test pricing & package design in community, mill proposal

Identify textile companies for producing kanga cloth design – develop, propose, & present plan

Hydrogeology study (for harvesting & aquaculture) – URI returns in Jan

Analysis of household survey data to inform project development (n =200, collected July 2010): baseline data on household structure, health, income, assets, agriculture, water supply & use, food consumption, farm equip, & market access

Grant Proposals/Fund Raising Efforts