(NAKURU, KENYA) – The County Government of Nakuru has distributed digital equipment and office furniture to 50 Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) in a move aimed at strengthening farmer-led institutions and modernising agricultural extension services across the region.
The initiative, implemented through the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), seeks to improve operational efficiency, enhance financial transparency and expand the delivery of agricultural services to thousands of smallholder farmers across the county.
A total of KES 37,381,000 ($289,400) has been disbursed in Inclusion Grant support to facilitate the establishment and strengthen the day-to-day operations of the targeted SACCOs, with all 50 cooperatives now reached under the programme.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at the Agriculture Training Centre (ATC) Soilo, Deputy Governor Dr David Kones said the investment would strengthen the institutional capacity of SACCOs by equipping them with tools to improve record-keeping, accountability, transparency and access to timely agricultural information.
He noted that the ICT facilities would enable the SACCOs to digitise their records, streamline financial transactions, improve communication with members and strengthen the collection and management of agricultural data, making it easier for farmers to access services and make informed production and marketing decisions.
The Deputy Governor explained that the grant was designed to address initial operational challenges that often hinder the effective functioning of farmer cooperatives, covering office rent, furniture, ICT equipment and member mobilisation activities among other expenses.
Dr Kones said providing the SACCOs with physical facilities and digital tools was not merely an investment in office infrastructure but a strategic intervention aimed at building strong, accountable and sustainable farmer institutions.
He challenged SACCO officials to exercise prudent management of the resources, maintain accurate financial records and embrace technology in their operations to enhance accountability and build confidence among members.
“We expect these institutions to become more efficient, transparent and responsive to the needs of their members. They must ensure that every farmer, regardless of the size of their enterprise, can access reliable agricultural information, financial services and market opportunities through well-managed cooperative structures,” he said.
He added that the County government, under the leadership of Governor Susan Kihika, remained committed to strengthening farmer organisations and creating an enabling environment for smallholder farmers to transition from subsistence production to commercially oriented agriculture.
The Deputy Governor further observed that functional SACCOs would play an important role in linking farmers to affordable credit, agricultural extension services, input suppliers and reliable markets, thereby improving household incomes and contributing to food security.
Chief Officer for Cooperatives and Entrepreneurship Kibet Kurgat stated that the provision of the equipment was a significant step towards strengthening the institutional and operational capacity of SACCOs, noting that many farmer cooperatives required adequate infrastructure and digital systems to effectively manage their growing membership and financial activities.
He said the ICT investment would help eliminate inefficiencies associated with manual record-keeping, improve the accuracy of financial information and enable SACCOs to maintain up-to-date member databases, monitor transactions and generate reliable reports for decision-making.
Kurgat explained that digitisation would also improve transparency by enabling cooperative officials to maintain accessible and properly documented records, while strengthening internal controls and reducing the risks associated with poor information management.
He urged SACCO leadership to embrace the new technology, invest in proper maintenance of the equipment and ensure that the resources were used strictly for their intended purposes.
The Chief Officer noted that the establishment of strong SACCOs is central to the transformation of agriculture because farmers need organised institutions through which they can mobilise savings, access affordable financing and collectively participate in markets.
By equipping these societies with modern ICT facilities and appropriate office infrastructure, Kurgat said the county is laying the foundation for more professional, transparent and efficient cooperative management.
Through digitisation, he observed that SACCOs will be better positioned to track their members, monitor savings and transactions, improve reporting and provide timely services.
He added that this will strengthen the confidence of farmers in their cooperative institutions and encourage more people to join and actively participate in their activities.
The Chief Officer highlighted that the County would continue supporting the cooperatives to strengthen their governance structures, improve service delivery and establish sustainable business models capable of supporting agricultural commercialisation.
The digital equipment and office furniture are expected to address some of the operational challenges facing farmer cooperatives, particularly inadequate infrastructure, inefficient record management and limited access to digital agricultural information.
Modern ICT systems are increasingly important in cooperative management as they facilitate accurate record-keeping, financial reporting, member registration, communication and information sharing.
They also enable SACCOs to maintain reliable databases that can be used to monitor membership, savings, loan transactions and other financial activities.
For farmers, stronger digital systems within cooperatives are expected to improve access to agricultural extension information, including modern farming practices, climate-smart technologies, market opportunities and financial services.
The equipment will also support the integration of farmers into digital agricultural platforms, making it easier for them to access services, connect with markets and participate in organised agricultural value chains.
The National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) is a five-year Government of Kenya initiative implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development with financing from the World Bank.
The project builds on the achievements of the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) and the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP), with the broader objective of transforming smallholder agriculture from subsistence production into commercially oriented and climate-resilient farming.
The programme seeks to increase market participation and value addition among targeted smallholder farmers by strengthening farmer organisations, improving access to affordable financing, promoting climate-smart agricultural technologies and establishing stronger linkages between producers, cooperatives and markets.
Through its interventions, NAVCDP also supports the development of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), SACCOs and other farmer groups to enable farmers to aggregate their produce, access credit, improve productivity and negotiate better market opportunities.
The project further promotes digital agriculture, farmer capacity-building, irrigation development and investments in agricultural value chains, with the aim of improving farmers’ incomes, strengthening food security and creating sustainable economic opportunities.