Shayiri

Duration	1 year, October 2024- September 2025
Donors	DIAGEO
Budget	KES 1M
Location	Narok North Sub County
Outreach	4 Farmers’ hub
Partners	Sustainable Agriculture Foundation – Africa  Sightsavers United Disabled People of Kenya (UDPK) East African Breweries Limited (EABL)

Context:

The project aimed to promote Diageo’s vision of establishing a disability inclusive barley value chain, whereby 3% of the total barley producers will be farmers with disabilities.   

Objectives:

• Develop and mentor 4 Agri-entrepreneurs to improve business service delivery to farmers
• Facilitate B2B linkages between Farmers’ Hubs and agro-input providers for input access
• Facilitate financial institutions linkage with Farmers’ Hubs for financial access  
• Promote last-mile service delivery to barley farmers with disabilities, ensuring access to inputs, advisory services, mechanization, and finance. 

Key Activities:

• Mapping and profiling of Agri-entrepreneurs – A total of 11 agri-entreprenuers (AEs) across the four project wards (Olpusimoru, Olokurto, Olorropil and Melili) were profiled and interviewed for the possibility of becoming Farmers’ Hub
• Farmers’ Hubs selection, orientation and onboarding – Out of the 11 profiled Agri-entrepreneurs, 4 were selected to serve as Farmers’ hub, each representing a ward. Orientation and training of the Farmers’ Hubs was done, highlighting the objectives of the project and their roles in the Hub Model. They were thereafter onboarded officially. 
• Needs assessment-The four Farmers’ Hubs were interviewed separately to assess their business in terms of strengths and weaknesses. This gave a clear roadmap on how the BDS training was to be done by leveraging their strengths and improving their weaknesses for sustainability.  
• BDS Coaching and mentoring – The BDS training manual to be used was packaged to suit the barley value chain and the needs of the FHs. The manual consists of seven key modules, namely, business soft skills module, business planning module, financial literacy module, financial management module, marketing module, business compliance module and staff management module. From the needs assessment report, tailored coaching and mentorship was done onsite and to the individual FHs to improve on the weaknesses of their businesses. A total of 33 coaching sessions were conducted.
• Strengthening FHs service delivery – This was done through B2B linkages and formalization of businesses. FHs were linked to agro-input manufacturers and distributors (Syngenta, Bayer EA, ETG, Grebe Enterprises), mechanization service providers (Hello Tractor) and financial service providers (Equity bank, KCB bank). In addition, FHs business registration was done and certificates and licenses obtained, which improved their visibility

Achievements (so far):

• Contract Signing with EABL – Facilitated access to certified barley seeds for farmers through   agreements between Farmers’ Hubs and EABL.
• Strengthened Financial Linkages – Established partnerships between Farmers’ Hubs and banks (i.e., KCB, Equity) to improve access to credit and financial services. Additionally, farmers gained knowledge on financial management through financial literacy training.
• Input Supply Partnerships – Formalized linkages between Farmers’ Hubs and distributors (i.e., Grebe Enterprises) through MoU signing to ensure reliable input supply.
• Community Engagement – Enhanced interaction between Farmers’ Hubs and farmers, leading to increased profit margins and expanded customer base.
• Business Formalization – Business certifications enabled Farmers’ Hubs to open business accounts, strengthening financial operations.
• Enhanced Mechanization Services – Linkages between Farmers’ Hub and service providers (i.e., Hello Tractor) improved farmers’ access to affordable and timely mechanization.
• Increased Visibility – Business branding initiatives raised the profile and recognition of Farmers’ Hubs within the community and stakeholders.