County Government of Laikipia

Members of 20 self-help groups in Laikipia County have started reaping the benefits of coming together after the County Government organized a platform to link them with financiers.

On July 29, 2021, several representatives of the groups in the county had an opportunity to meet with 10 financiers through a forum organized by Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme II (ASDSP II).

The participating groups were drawn from the county's agricultural value chain with the objective of commercializing agriculture, enhancing agricultural practices, increasing agricultural productivity, and creating market linkages.

The event was meant to link agricultural groups with financial services providers to learn what is required to qualify for a loan or grant, for the betterment of their groups.

The groups are involved in livestock and crop production such as buying, fattening, and selling sheep and goats whom financiers are willing to fund their activities and help them upscale their businesses.

The groups included: Naretu Ngabolo Women Group, Il-Motik, Kinaap Youth Group, Tura Naitajeu Women Group, Solio Cooperative(has 500 members and are in the dairy milk business), Ngenia Muungano Cooperative(50 members dealing in dairy milk business), Kimanjo Leather, Nashatisho, Ereto, Nasat Women Group, Naningoi Women Group, Olooloingoik Self Help Group, among others.

On the other hand, the financiers had an opportunity to sell their products to potential customers within the county. Most of the financiers provide loans to groups at a favorable interest rate.

The financiers included: Agricultural Finance Corporation, Uwezo Fund, Gatao Company, Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Enterprise Fund, Cooperative Revolving Fund, National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), and Laikipia Economic Stimulus Programme.

Of importance was that people need to have viable activities that can generate money to pay loans.

The County Government works to facilitate the value chain actors (VCAs) access finances to help in their business growth or in starting new business adventures.

ASDSP II supports access to financial services to enhance uptake of technologies and increase the productivity of VCAs in the agricultural sector.

This is done through linking VCAs with financial services providers (inventory of all financial institutions in the counties supporting value chain development), and keeping inventory of the different types of financial services including the type of products and the amounts of each of the types involved and available.

The move will ensure that the grants do not go unutilized for lack of awareness of the groups that should have the money.

It will also save VCAs from exploitation by bogus financiers who are out to make money from groups that are not well versed with loans and their interests.

In matters of business organization, ASDSP II and other financiers are willing to help groups update business plans that will enable them to stand better chances of getting financed.

The County Government has a dedicated team of 200 Business Development Officers to handhold innovators and small and medium enterprises to develop business plans, and access to finance as well as market linkage.

Published by ICT | Source: Laikipia Weekly Bulletin Issue 0061).