Young farmers participating in a project started by 2017 Tutu Fellow Samuel Kariuki have had their first harvest and been paid for the fruits of their labour. The new farmers in the agro-entrepreneurship Fort Hall Eye Project harvested two tons of beans. This green success is taking place in one of the most troubled counties in Kenya, where alcoholism has left almost no household unaffected.
Located two hours from Nairobi, Murang’a County is one of Kenya’s more densely populated rural districts. Historically, the county was a leading coffee producer, accounting for the bulk of Kenya’s world famous Arabica exports. Over the last two decades, mismanagement and other ills have led to a majority of farmers, often small-holders, abandoning the crop and resorting to subsistence farming. The resulting increased poverty levels has had a significant impact on the social fabric.
The Fort Hall Eye Project is an agro-entrepreneurship program coupled with micro-loans for vocational training offering skills training and mentoring, started with a 15-acre farm being used as a live incubator. The first crop planted by 50 farmers was French Beans, with today's harvest showing promise.
You can read more about the project here on the AFLI site under Case Studies.
Beans harvest under way
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