An AU$3.65 million agribusiness research initiative will benefit hundreds of smallholder farmers in Kwale through a five-year Australian-Kenyan project led by Business for Development in partnership with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), and in collaboration with Kwale County Government, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Pwani University and PAVI Farmers’ Cooperative.

Dr Rachel Okeyo and Deborah Doan of Business for Development note that the “The MKUKI-Kwale project will incorporate ground-breaking research spanning social sciences, value chains and bio-physical research to develop evidence-based tools and learnings. Key innovations include formal learning pathways within cooperatives, research on effective farming communities and audio-based farmer training.”

Officially launched this week in Kwale County by the Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, H.E. Mr Luke Williams and Kwale County Governor H.E. Ms Fatuma Achani, the Mradi wa Kuimarisha Kilimo-Biashara Kwale (MKUKI) project, translating to Kwale Agribusiness Strengthening project, will develop a model for market-driven, collaborative value chains incorporating collective farming and circular agriculture to create sustainable and ethical production systems in the smallholder farming community of Kwale.

The Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, H.E. Mr Luke Williams advised “The Australian Government stands with Kenya, and other partners in the region, working towards addressing the region’s food security crisis. The MKUKI-Kwale project will help guarantee food security through the expansion of food production and supply, improving food affordability, and support value addition in the value chain.”

Kwale County Governor H.E. Ms Fatuma Achani noted that “74% of Kenya’s population live in rural areas and rely on farming to support livelihoods. Smallholder farmers, like those represented by the PAVI Farmers’ Cooperative, are critical to Kenya’s food security, contributing 63% towards national food production. The Kwale County Government welcomes the Australian Government’s ongoing commitment to creating sustainable and ethical production systems in the smallholder farming community of Kwale.”

The project will be working with the community at the smallholder farmer level, as well as exploring how larger blocks of land could be managed collectively in a way that is culturally appropriate, building sustainable community capacity.