Small farmers optimistic about increasing earnings from outgrowers’ contracts

The project is meant to develop a dedicated source of raw materials for East Africa Breweries.

It will also help improve Kenya’s food security situation and diversify the type of grains the country can depend on in addition to maize and beans.

Equity Bank is offering low interest loans to farmers to buy seed and farm inputs while Africa Harvest— provides the technical support to ensure the quality yields.

EABL requires more than 60,000 tonnes of barley every year for making various beer brands.

The company plans to substitute about three-quarters of required barley with local sorghum.

Wycliff Mwema of Dik Engineering, the makers of fruit processing machines said farmers need not wait for supply contracts because they can also process fruits as a group at the village level and sell it as fruit pulp.

“We have noticed an increase in demand for machines that extract pulp and those that pasteurise fruit juices in the recent past. I think farmers have started appreciating the value of processing fruits,” said Mr Mwema.