The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the County Government of Turkana and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya, organized a field day for small scale producers. During the occasion, FAO distributed technical equipment to local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). 

Held on November 24thin Turkana County, the event provided a platform for FAO and partners to take stock of the progress made under the project“Protecting the diets of the most vulnerable people as part of COVID-19 response and recovery programme”, implemented in Kenya and Malawi with funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marina of Ireland (DAFM). 

The goal of the project is to strengthen the matching between the supply and demand of safe, nutritious and locally produced food by enhancing the capacities of small-scale producers and MSMEs.Towards this, the project targets not only small-scale producers’ organizations and MSMEs, but also consumers, and in particular vulnerable groups and individuals, women of reproductive age and children under five years. 

Turkana County constitutes the geographical focus of the project in Kenya, where FAO is collaborating with other partners and initiatives on the implementation of a capacity development programmeunder which selected small- scale producers and MSMEs have participated to capacity needs assessments, training, and mentoring and coaching activities. 

Distribution of technical equipment event 

The event saw the participation of different stakeholders such as government officials, partners and FAO staff and AFAOR. The participants lauded the positive impact of the capacity development programme, from boosting their skills and knowledge in conducting business to making them able to provide support to other small businesses. Mt Sayun's Director, an agro-inputs supplier, mentioned that she is no longer just selling inputs but is also able to providebasic business management guidance to herclients,thusexpanding the repeat clients base. 

Different types of equipment were distributed to meet the needs of local producers: deep freezers, water pumps, incubators, horizontal feed mixers, engine mill, weighing scales, water pipes and a solar dryer.   

This equipment will be beneficial to the adoption of nutrition-sensitive business practices, which will contribute to enhancing the availability and accessibility of diverse, safe and nutritious foods to consumers. 

Capacity development for MSMEs and small-scale producers 

As previously mentioned, the event of November 24this part of a broader capacity development programme that aims at supporting selectedMSMEson adopting nutrition-sensitive business practicesand further leveraging their potential in the Turkana County business environment. 

So far, the programme has seen the participation of a total of 167 MSMEs that were profiled across different value chains in Kenya and Malawi.In the context of Kenya,the value chains targeted include nuts/groundnuts, meat/fish, poultry, pulses and legumes, green leafy vegetables, as well as grains, roots and tubers. The profiling of MSMEs was followed by a learning needs assessment to identifythe key characteristics of business models and practices, as well as specific gaps to be addressed in order to improve the production and supply of nutritious and healthy foods. The profiling was extended also to 131 retailers  across three territorial markets. 

In addition to the profiling, learning needs assessments, andtraining programmes, three investment cases are being developed and will be soon published. The investment cases complement and integrate all capacity development efforts. They have been prepared in view of attracting and encouraging private sector investments that can contribute to more inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems, as well as to increased availability and access to nutritious foods for the most vulnerable. 

Role of small-scale producers and MSMEs in the achievement of healthy diets and better nutrition 

MSMEs and small-scale producers make up the bulk of the Kenyan business environment and have made significant contributions towards enhancing food security and nutrition, as well as social stability and poverty reduction. 

AgrifoodMSMEs and small-scale producersplay a crucial role in the achievement of better nutrition and healthy diets. As key actors in food environments, they contribute to enhancing the accessibility and availability of healthy, diverse and safe foods to consumers, as well as to generating job and income opportunities. 

Despite the many achievements to date, small-scale producers and MSMEs still face financial, infrastructural and policy challenges that hamper their performance  ̶  from food production to its distribution which, in turn, has an impact on consumers. 

FAO’s project is designed to support the adoption of nutrition-sensitive business approaches, as well as to document and share evidence-based practices related to their implementation soas toinform policy making at national and global levels and attract private sector investments.