By Francis Kioko.
Today Kitui County Governor Julius Malombe’s administration has successfully concluded the distribution of KSh 13 million in grants to local farmers’ Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Saccos).
This initiative, aimed at empowering farmers at the grassroots level, was spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock through the National Agriculture and Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) funded by World Bank .
The three-day event, which began on Monday, was launched by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture and Livestock, Dr. Mbaya Kimwele. The primary goal of the grants is to strengthen farmers’ cooperatives across Kitui’s 40 wards, fostering a culture of saving, investment, and improved farming practices.
Today marked the final day of the grant disbursement, with farmers from various regions—including Kyangwithya East, Kyangwithya West, Kisasi, Mbitini, and Miambani—gathering at different venues to receive their share of the funds. Each ward’s Sacco, including Kyangwithya East Farmers Sacco, Kaitukya Farmers Sacco(kyangwithya west) , Kikavi Farmers Sacco(kisasi), Mbitini Farmers Sacco, and Pamoja Miambani Sacco benefiting from this first phase of financial support.
“The Sh13 million first phase inclusion grant being rolled out in 20 wards will cover office rent, book-keeper stipends, internet services, data bundles and Application Programme Interface” CECM Dr. Mbaya Kimwele said
During this period, Sacco members are expected to contribute savings and recruit new members to ensure their cooperatives become self-sufficient. The program incentivizes savings by offering matching grants: Saccos that accumulate savings of KSh 500,000 will receive an equivalent amount from NAVCDP, while those saving KSh 2 million or more will receive a matching grant of up to KSh 2 million.
Kitui County’s Chief Officer for Livestock and Fisheries , Gladys Kivoto, oversaw similar activities in Kitui East ,we’re she encouraged farmers to fully embrace the initiative and join these Saccos. She assured them that the benefits would be significant, as the Saccos would provide crucial financial support to help farmers maintain and expand their agricultural activities. This, in turn, is expected to improve the livelihoods of farmers and their families, contributing to poverty eradication in line with Governor Malombe’s 16-point agenda for development.
The initiative is seen as a game-changer for Kitui’s agricultural sector, promoting sustainability and financial independence for local farmers.
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