This archive report was first published on 28 November 2021.
November 28, 2021
Peninah David, coordinator of Muuo wa Sombe Women Group, showcases their products at the 7th Annual Devolution Conference in Makueni Boys High School.
As rural farming communities in Makueni County struggle with the effects of climate change, a women's group has found success in selling wild forest fruits and drought-resistant crops.
The Muuo wa Sombe Women Group, based in Kibwezi East, has become a household name for products that are in high demand locally and beyond.
At the 7th Annual Devolution Conference, the group's exhibition stand drew in delegates eager to view their products, including jam and juice made from baobab and tamarind fruits, dried kales and amaranth, and roasted pumpkin seeds.
According to Peninah David, the coordinator of Muuo wa Sombe, baobab flour is a delicacy among pregnant women due to its high calcium content and can be mixed with milk or eaten raw.
The group has also developed products from millet flour and sorghum flour, which are used to enrich maize flour, and green gram flour and cowpea flour, used to make nutritious maize flour.
David notes that the women have added value to locally available wild fruits, making income out of them, and creating a steady demand that has given them a good market for their products.
“All we needed to do was to come up with ways of adding value to them and making income out of it. We can confidently say we have succeeded in a big way,” David says.
With the initiative, the women have been able to earn a decent income, with Peninah David making Sh10,000 per month without breaking a sweat.
David adds that the products can stay up to six months without refrigeration, thanks to the use of lemon as a preservative.
The women are also involved in kitchen gardening and have been trained on how to dry surplus vegetables and pack them for future use, with the help of a small solar-powered drier provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Hamisi Williams, the head of programmes at FAO, notes that the training focuses on giving skills to farmers to make use of what is locally available and make the best use of it.
However, the Kibwezi women are unable to carry out mass production of their products due to the lack of certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs).
“We are encouraged by the demand and would want to produce more of our products. Our clients ask why they cannot find the products in local supermarkets,” David says.
