Over this past weekend, I embarked on a journey to the enchanting Rift Valley, specifically Njoro, not for the usual tourist escapades that include visiting the iconic Lord Egerton Castle or partaking in the vibrant Nakuru festivities. No, this trip had a different purpose, one deeply rooted in the earth and the fertile soils of Njoro.
As I strolled through this lush, expansive landscape, I couldn’t help but be captivated by the vibrant green verdant fields that stretched as far as the eye could see, adorned with the bounties of nature. Rows upon rows of carrots, cabbages, tomatoes, Irish potatoes,wheat fields and more painted the canvas of this agricultural haven. It was as though I had awakened to a world where nature itself beckoned, inviting me to partake in its bounty.
This journey wasn’t just a casual visit; it was a heartfelt tribute to the land and its people. I have a dear friend who calls Njoro home, and my own grandparents, a few years ago, were farmers in these very fields. What strikes me is the shared narrative of the people in Njoro – they are farmers, and farming is their life. However, it’s a life that is marked by a paradox. They toil tirelessly, dependent on three crops, the mainstays of their livelihood: Irish potatoes, cabbages, peas, and, perhaps most notably and my main focus today The Carrots – a vegetable that often graces your salad plates with its vibrant orange hue almost shouting ORANGE IS THE NEW RED on your plate. I had the privilege of meeting a group of resilient women toiling in the fields, meticulously harvesting their first carrot crop.
Their faces lit up as they shared with me their excitement and optimism of getting better returns this time just like all the other years things tend to get a little bit better but just for a while then Tyne back to normal. We are almost approaching a season of merriment and feasting. It’s almost that time of year when Kenyan food enthusiasts unleash their appetites, and the carrot becomes a coveted and quintessential ingredient in their culinary delights.
But here lies the tragedy – while carrots adorn our plates with vibrant hues, the farmers in Njoro are left with meager rewards.
“Here, we are farmers; our livelihood is tied to the land. But we are tethered to a trio of constraints that hinder us from truly relishing the fruits of our labor.
We plow the soil, plant our crops, and tend to them with care, but when it comes to reaping the rewards, our joy is stymied. It’s as though we toil because we have no alternative. There’s no substantial income to be made here due to market woes, and, regrettably, there’s little hope of government intervention, whether in the form of storage facilities or value addition factories, beyond the Njoro canners. These challenges cast a long shadow over our carrot harvests, while our cash crops like Irish potatoes, cabbages, peas, and carrots bear the brunt of our aspirations.”
And by the way this situation is very similar with our other bread basket haven of Nyandarua.
The heart of the issue rests with the middlemen, who hold sway over pricing and packaging. A farmer’s labor culminates in a bittersweet moment of harvest, where the fear of rotting crops looms large. With no cold storage facilities available, their only choice is to sell their produce swiftly or see it go to waste. Three months of dedicated work, all potentially in vain.
Not too long ago, the government imposed a ban on the sale of carrots and potatoes in sacks exceeding 50 kilograms. Yet, here in Njoro, middlemen have devised a cunning method to circumvent these regulations. They slyly sew an additional 25-kilogram bag on top of the official 50-kilogram bag, justifying rock-bottom purchase prices. And all the while, the government remains strangely silent, as if these resilient farmers are invisible.
Carrots, distinguished by their vibrant hue and crisp texture, represent more than a simple salad ingredient in Kenya. They symbolize the nation’s potential for prosperity presenting a golden opportunity for carrot cultivation.
Carrot farming in Kenya is akin to a hidden gem, awaiting the right conditions for its brilliance to shine. With adequate infrastructure, support, and awareness, Kenya has the potential to become a major producer and exporter of top-tier carrots, benefiting both farmers and the national economy.
The venture into carrot farming has the power to reshape Kenya’s agricultural landscape, offering avenues for income generation, enhanced nutrition, and economic growth. To unlock these benefits, it’s imperative to confront the challenges confronting farmers, notably the exploitative practices of middlemen and the lack of proper storage and packaging facilities. Through strategic investments and unwavering commitment, carrot farming can flourish, contributing significantly to Kenya’s prosperity.
Carrot farming’s latent potential in Kenya remains largely untapped, with farmers facing formidable challenges at the hands of unscrupulous middlemen. These intermediaries frequently exploit carrot farmers by acquiring their produce at unjustly low prices. This exploitation extends not only to price negotiations but also to packaging, where middlemen often add excess weight to carrot bags, surpassing the government’s prescribed 50 kg limit. These unethical practices significantly diminish farmers’ incomes, leading to financial hardships.
The Benefits of Carrot Farming:
Carrot farming, on a larger scale and supported by appropriate infrastructure, offers a multitude of advantages to Kenya. Notably, it’s a crop adaptable to various Kenyan regions, making it a viable source of income for farmers across the country. Carrots are also rich in essential nutrients, including vitamin A, crucial for maintaining good health, especially in children and pregnant women. Thus, embracing carrot farming can contribute to improved nutrition for the nation’s population.
Exploitation of Farmers by Middlemen:
Middlemen’s exploitation is a major impediment for carrot farmers in Kenya. These intermediaries wield considerable control over pricing and packaging, leaving farmers with minimal say in their profits. Oftentimes, farmers are coerced into selling their produce at subpar rates due to a lack of better market alternatives, jeopardizing their livelihoods.
The Issue of Food Waste:
Food waste is a global concern, and Kenya is no exception. Carrot farming in Kenya contributes to this problem when a significant portion of the harvest goes to waste due to inadequate storage and distribution systems. Addressing this issue would not only reduce waste but also provide more carrots for local consumption and export.
Addressing Exploitation and Enhancing Carrot Farming:
- Price Transparency: To combat price exploitation, it’s essential to institute transparent pricing mechanisms and promote fair trade practices. Farmers should be educated on market prices, and farmer cooperatives can facilitate better negotiations.
- Improved Storage, Packaging, and Value Addition: Unlocking carrot farming’s potential necessitates enhancing storage, packaging, and value addition capabilities. Given the perishable nature of carrots, investing in modern storage facilities can prolong shelf life and reduce post-harvest losses. Additionally, value addition, like producing carrot juice, pickles, and dried carrot chips, offers farmers extra income opportunities and minimizes waste.
- Government Regulation: Stricter enforcement of government regulations on packaging and weight limits is imperative to shield farmers from middlemen’s deceitful practices.
- Storage Facilities: Investing in proper storage facilities, including cold rooms, is essential for extending the shelf life of carrots, particularly for the export of baby carrots, which must meet international quality standards.
- Exporting Baby Carrots: To preserve the quality of pre-packed baby carrots exported from Kenya, stringent quality control measures and efficient cold chain logistics are essential to ensure freshness in destination markets.
While carrot farming in Kenya holds considerable potential for income generation, addressing the exploitation of farmers and establishing value addition and quality control measures are crucial. Kenyan carrot farming can thrive and contribute to both local consumption and international markets and In the heart of Njoro among many other places where carrots are grown the tales of struggle unfolds. It’s a story of life and livelihood, where the vibrant orange hue of a carrot on our plates demands our attention and compassion.
Credit: hillary kimani