Cooperative University Launches Digital Platform to Boost Agricultural Sector.
The Co-operative University of Kenya (CUK) has launched the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) to connect farmers with all actors in the agricultural sector value chain, as well as put them at the center of a single electronic platform.
The three-year project will initially focus on maize, Irish potatoes, and dairy farming in Nakuru, Narok, and Baringo counties.
The project aims to increase productivity by connecting farmers with private sector actors and enhance linkages between upstream, midstream, and downstream agriculture value chain activities within the next three years.
Reviving the agriculture sector
Agriculture Secretary, State department for Crop Development Josephat Muhunyu believes that modern technology is the key to bringing young people onboard and making them smart farmers.
“This project will be using the digital platform and digital centers where the young farmers can get information and see interest and opportunities in the agriculture sector,” he said.
The project will also strengthen the agricultural value chains in Kenya, which is in line with the Nation’s development plan, which aims to revive and make the agriculture sector profitable and sustainable for better livelihoods.
ICT for agriculture
The government has ensured that every ministry and government institution has data and ICT departments, Muhunyu said.
The digital platform becomes important because producers will always be linked to the market end, and the agribusiness comes onboard as we need young people to do business and not just produce food the way our parents are doing.
By using data platforms, the younger generation can see immediate results instead of waiting eight years before they start to reap the benefits.
Financial support
The Kenya Rural Transformation Centers Digital Platform Project is being implemented by The Co-operative University of Kenya, with financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA).
This project will transform the way agriculture is done in the country through bringing resources, access to inputs, and also bring in value addition and source markets for farmers.
Benefiting farmers
Joseph Lomodu, manager Lalebo ole-polos dairy society in Narok, believes the platform will benefit farmers on getting information, especially on markets.
The major challenge with the milk sector, he added, is climate change, which has affected them and made them nonoperational for the last eight months.
With the KRTCDP project, they hope to expand their infrastructure by buying more coolers and machinery for value addition, generate income and give us market options, which are usually limited.
Game changer
The project and digital centers will attract youth in agriculture, which will be a game-changer that will also create jobs. Currently, agriculture has an aging fraternity.
“Youths will be providers of services, there will be creation of jobs and contribution tremendously in the bottom-up economic transformation agenda of the government,” CUK Vice Chancellor Prof Kamau Ngamau said.
Through the transformation centers digital platform project, smallholder farmers will be able to connect to all critical players in the agricultural forward and backward value chains, and the shared farmers platform will be able to easily engage input suppliers, agro-dealers, financiers, insurance agencies, marketers and buyers, among other service providers, on a mobile phone platform.
Cooperative University Launches Digital Platform to Boost Agricultural Sector.