Lower Yatta Cooperative

A co-operative has been formed in Lower Yatta which helps farmers located in that area sell their produce collectively. Farmers are linked to potential buyers and service providers who buy the produce at a higher price compared to the current price when farmers sell directly to the market or sell individually. The Lower Yatta Farmer’s Co-operative Society Limited, made up of 12 Food Security Groups in Kitui Rural Sub County, was formed in 2013 after pre-cooperative training by the Sub County Co-operative Officer. The co-operative is operating along the green grams value chain, which is aiming to improve their food availability and income generation. In March, 2014 they sold their produce in bulk to exporters in Mombasa, excluding the menacing middle men who for many years have been exploiting them. 150 of the 300 co-operative members were mobilized to sell the green grams together as a single unit. The total cash realized was Kenyan Shillings 1,161,940.00 from the sale of 178 bags of green grams at 90 kgs and 78 kgs. Members who sold their green grams through the co-operative were able to break out from under the exploitation and realize their full potential of maximizing production benefits.