Projects

Sustainable and Secure Smallholder Systems @ Scale (4S@Scale)

In partnership with Hivos, Ecom Agro-Industrial Corporation (Ecom), Kawacom Uganda Limited (KUL), Tutunze Kahawa Limited (TKL), Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (KENFAP), 4S@Scale intends to create viable smallholder coffee farming systems, that will allow the coffee sector in East Africa to regain its vitality and offer long-term business opportunities for 2.4 million smallholder coffee farms and 16 million people dependent on the sector.

Key activities include incorporating biogas into the whole farm system; diversification of incomes, in particular through dairy and horticulture; the provision of credit facilities; enhanced Good Agricultural Practices including climate resilience; and women and youth targeted training and support.Women and young farmers are priority clients as key actors to revitalize the sector and ensure long-term sustainability.

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Project fully funded by SMS to ensure that good quality coffee is produced using sustainable production methods. Currently over 20,000 have been certified following SMS guiding.

Already 11 societies have been fully certified under Cafe Practice, thanks to SMS projects.

This has seen a step up of livelihood, increased sustainability and income to the participating farmers.

In partnership with Ecom Agro-Industrial Corp. At the end of year one, 3470 farmers had been trained, 149 PF’s and demo farms created, 3 coops had a quality management system and significant yield improvement.

The programme also saw growers being certified under Rainforest and 4C certifications.

Food Security through improved resilience of small scale farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya.

FOSEK is a project that aims to address food security in Kenya and Ethiopia through Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Food Security Facility. Partners include Nestle, Solidaridad, Coffee Research Foundation Kenya, Ecom Agro-Industrial Corp.

FOSEK has seen over 40,000 farmers, 8 cooperatives and 27 wet mills from different coffee growing regions benefit.

Main aim of the project is to enhance the existing initiative at Muisuni Farmers Cooperative Society by addressing sustainability challenges through training. The project is financed by SMS and Solidaridad.

CoE project aims to recertify farmers to standards (UTZ, Fairtrade, Cafe), create financial training knowledge among the extension officers and to create and enhance interest among youth and women for active participation in coffee production activities.

The project officially kicked off on 1st June 2015 with the approval and disbursement of 30,000 USD from Starbucks and Ecom. Each of the two lead partners was to contribute 50% towards the protection of Kutere water spring located within the catchment of Kikai Farmers’ Cooperative Society.

The spring is in a farm owned by one of the smallholder members – Mrs. Redempta Njambikha of Kikai FCS and family who were happy to release the water from their family farm.

Water Intake Completion

The construction of the intake was satisfactorily completed. 2 water outlets provided – one from which water can be drawn on site and the other being the piping of water to the community. This means that the people living near the spring can still access it and fetch water, this time without interfering with it.

Piping Work

Trenching was done across some maize fields with no damage to the growing food crops. Durable galvanized iron and PVC pipes were laid by the local youths all the way to the intended access point for the community.