This archive report was first published on 25 May 2020.
Published on May 25, 2020, a time when the Covid-19 pandemic was severely affecting the economy and daily life in Kenya.
As the pandemic spread, farmers in the South Rift region found themselves struggling to sell their produce due to government restrictions and people's fear of contagion in crowded places. To bridge this gap, many farmers turned to social media and farm-based sales.
One such platform is the Mkulima Young Market, a mobile app developed by a local social enterprise group, Mkulima Young. The app allows farmers to register their produce and connect with buyers directly, reducing the need for traditional markets.
Ms. Margaret Wanjiru, a Nakuru farmer, told The Standard that she was forced to look to social media to market her produce, as 80% of her buyers had access to the internet. She used the Mkulima Young Market app to connect with buyers and deliver her produce directly to them.
Ms. Immaculate Maina, the Nakuru County Agriculture Executive, said that the app had helped farmers market their commodities and had attracted at least 26,000 farmers in Nakuru. To use the app, farmers were required to register themselves and their produce, and the county officials worked closely with extension officers to verify the quality of the produce sold.
Ms. Miriam Labatt, a dairy and vegetable farmer from Ngata, began selling directly to consumers after her previous clients - hotels, restaurants, and schools - shut down due to the Covid-19 outbreak. She used social media to communicate with other farmers and market her produce, and was able to sell her milk to New Kenya Co-operative Creameries, although at a lower price than her previous buyers.
Mr. David Juma, a farmer from Muchorwe village in Molo, said that he and his neighbours initially had nowhere to go with their produce when the virus hit town. However, their regular customers decided to come directly to their farms to buy produce, reducing overcrowding at the market and allowing them to sell their produce at the same price as before the pandemic.
