Upper Mbaaria CBO_Images
Upper Mbaaria, in Bore East constituency, Meru County, is a land of contrasts.
On one hand, it boasts rolling hills, winding roads, and vibrant green farmlands dotted with healthy homesteads.
On the other hand, some parts of the area appear dry and barren, with patches of land that seem unable to thrive.
For Solomon Mutuma, the Chairman of the Mbaaria Community-Based Organization (CBO), the landscape’s beauty masks the reality of the challenges faced by farmers in this region.
“This area is very dry, even though it doesn’t look like it. Only a handful of crops can thrive here,” he says, highlighting the struggle with water scarcity and unpredictable weather patterns that have made farming increasingly difficult.
In recent years, however, the community has found hope and a path forward through a project called Participatory Grant Making (PGM) Process.
The initiative, launched in 2021 by Transform Trade Kenya, brought together six community organizations from Kitui and Meru counties, each tasked with implementing a project aimed at improving local livelihoods.
Understanding Participatory Grant Making Process
PGM process is a funding approach where communities are actively involved in decision-making and resource allocation for their projects.
Unlike traditional funding methods, PGM empowers communities to set their priorities and create solutions to local challenges.
A key feature of PGM is the 50/50 cost-sharing model, where both the community and external funder,s contribute equally to project costs.
This ensures shared ownership, and accountability, and promotes long-term sustainability.
“PGM inverts decision-making from the traditional top-down approach to one where the communities and the grassroots ecosystem make the decisions. Ultimately, the community takes a lot of control, a lot of responsibility, and pride in the project outcome,” explains Caesar Ngule, KCDF’s Programs Director.
The Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) supported the pilot, and in early 2024, TT handed over the six projects to them to support their finalization.
KCDF’s role was to ensure the partner organizations were provided with the necessary technical support and capacity building for project implementation and reporting to ensure all project deliverables were met.
“Since KCDF has a long history working with grassroots organizations and giving out grants, PGM was not new to us. Our role was to challenge the whole process of implementation, ensuring that it was community-centered in every way. We created conversations at the community level for the groups to curate the projects that would benefit them and express that in a way that can be funded, bringing out the desired result,” adds Ngule.
Before PGM
Before the implementation of the PGM project, the farmers of Upper Mbaaria faced significant challenges in making their agricultural practices profitable and sustainable.
Apart from the irregularities of the weather conditions and scarcity of water, the farmers in Upper Mbaaria struggled with unreliable market access, unfair pricing by brokers, and a lack of the necessary farming inputs to maximize their yields.
“Before venturing into onion farming, we used to plant potatoes. The market was there, though not as profitable as it should have been. Brokers used to underpay us, and then they would resell our produce at much higher prices. We were losing out on profits that should have been ours,” Mutuma recalls.
In addition to market exploitation, the farmers faced difficulties in adapting to the climatic conditions of the area.
Some farmers had started adopting advanced farming techniques like drip irrigation, sprinklers, and greenhouses, but these methods were beyond the reach of many in the community due to their high costs.
As a result, despite their efforts, many farmers continued to face low yields and limited profitability.
“The thriving farmlands in this region are due to the use of better farming practices. And before the project we couldn’t afford greenhouses or proper irrigation, so we were always dependent on rainfall, which was inconsistent,” says Mutuma.
PGM Implementation
With the introduction of PGM, things began to change for the better.
The focus was on improving onion farming through the use of drip irrigation, which helps farmers use water more efficiently, even in areas where water is scarce.
Mbaaria CBO worked together to draft a proposal for the project, with funding from Transform Trade and a contribution from the farmers themselves.
“Upper Mbaaria CBO was birthed after merging six small groups in the area. The 95 active members came together and agreed to continue farming onions as a project since we were already familiar with it. We drafted a proposal, and our project was partly funded by Transform Trade and by us,” explained Catherine Kinya, Chairlady of Upper Mbaaria CBO.
The CBO had a responsibility to raise Ksh. 564,300, while Transform Trade had committed Ksh. 1,576,475, bringing the total project cost to Ksh. 2,140,775.
With funds from Transform Trade, the group purchased drip lines and distributed them to 50 members first.
The introduction of drip irrigation has led to more efficient water use, helping farmers navigate the challenges of water scarcity.
William Kirema, one of the members who benefited from receiving a drip line, shared his experience stating;
“I used to farm using sprinklers that used a lot of water. When I got the drips, I was able to use water sparingly, as I could open the water when I needed to and then close it. It does not need a lot of supervision and is economically enabling for any kind of farm practice,” he said.
Another enthusiastic beneficiary of the project is Nancy Gaceri.
“I began planting onions last year and decided to continue since it has proven to be profitable not just for me but for the rest of the members. I have already established a market for the produce, and the proceeds from the sale have enabled me to cater to my children’s needs. I also was able to buy a cow and a goat to expand my farming practice,” she says.
The support from Transform Trade extended beyond irrigation, providing seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, along with capacity-building training to help farmers improve their practices and ensure the sustainability of the project.
In addition, the group introduced a table banking system, where members contribute a portion of their profits each month to a common fund.
This initiative has strengthened the community’s financial independence and provided opportunities for members to access loans for both personal and group activities.
Facing Setbacks
Despite the successes, the project has not been without challenges.
In September 2023, when the onion crop was planted, the farmers faced an unexpected setback.
Heavy rains caused flooding, damaging much of the produce.
As a result, only a quarter of the farmers were able to sell their onions, which delayed the purchase of additional drip irrigation systems for the remaining members.
“We had planned to use the proceeds from the onion sales to buy more drip lines, but the rains ruined most of our crops,” explains Catherine Kinya, Chairlady of the CBO.
“Now we’re working on raising the funds to buy the remaining drip lines.”
Water scarcity remains an ongoing issue, and the farmers have had to get creative to address it.
Many are now using water catchment methods, such as rainwater harvesting tanks, though it still isn’t enough.
Kirema, for example, is in the process of digging a water pan on his farm to store water for irrigation.
“I spent Ksh. 6,000 on the water for my onions, and I made Ksh. 40,000 from the sales,” says Kirema.
“The profit would have been even higher if the rain hadn’t affected us. By digging a water pan, I can cut my water costs to just Ksh. 1,000.”
The community is also grappling with the high cost and sometimes poor quality of farm inputs in the market.
“The farm inputs we received from Transform Trade were perfect for our climate, but now it’s hard to find the same quality,” Gaceri says.
“Some of the inputs we’ve bought have been defective and are still expensive.”
The Future of PGM in Upper Mbaaria
Filber Kavia, Transform Trade’s Regional Director for East Africa, is confident that the organizations involved in the implementation process of PGM now have what it takes to continue on their own.
“The sustainability of the project is critical in the sense that 100% of ownership is transferred to the community. The pilot project has covered key strategies and structures to ensure that the organizations involved can thrive on their own beyond the support from Transform Trade,” he said.
Mbaaria CBO is now looking forward to expanding its project further by trying out different viable farm produce as its next course of action.
The group is also working toward procuring the remaining drip lines by the end of the year.
A single drip line costs Ksh. 6,000, and each individual who acquired a drip in the first cycle is expected to contribute the same amount to help purchase the rest of the drip lines.
“There are only 45 members who did not receive the drips during the first cycle. We have already raised Ksh. 84,000 out of the required Ksh. 500,000,” explains Kirema.
The farmers are confident they can build on their success with the knowledge gained through the project.
“I want to thank Transform Trade very much for this project, as it has been useful to us. We are now empowered to continue with the project,” concludes Mutuma.
