Second National Conference of the BDS Donor Coordination Group, Kenya 2006

Description
The BDS Donor Coordination Group of Kenya organised the Second National Conference 3-4 October 2006 in Naivasha, Kenya; the presentations covered the development of service markets and value chains, producer group dynamics, sector coordination and policy formulation. Specifically, the following documents are available for download at the bottom of this page:

a-b) The agenda and list of participants

c-d) Introductory and framework presentations by David Knopp and Marshall Bear (still to come)

e) An overview of the four break-out sessions

f-h) Break-out session on Value Chain Financing
A loan product to enable groups of small-scale avocado producers has enabled 3,500 farmers to access commercial spraying services; as a result, more than 25,000 trees have already been sprayed in the current season. Grade 1 yields are expected to increase from fewer than 25 pieces to over 300 pieces per tree during the first year. Plans were also presented during the session for maize warehouse receipting, and a range of financial products for honey producers and processors.

i-k) Break-out session on Producer Group Dynamics
Work to mobilise 1,027 avocado producers into 36 groups had enabled them to acquire a major new customer, thereby raising the price by 400%, and income from avocadoes by 700%. It is anticipated that the new customer will take on the group mobilisation costs in future. Plans were also presented during the session to provide Eurepgap QMS services on a commercial basis to groups of smallholder farmers.

l-n) Break-out session on Emerging Methods of Business Service Delivery
By analysing the costs at various steps along the value chain for milk, it has been possible to catalyse the establishment of chilling, packaging and processing hubs that handle milk worth $6.3m per year, serving 13,000 farmers on a commercial basis. A radio programme aimed at smallholder farmers has 2.5m listeners each week, and became profitable for the station after 9 weeks; the mobile phone numbers of listeners who call or SMS are being used to develop more in-depth relationships. Plans were also outlined, to commercialise the brokerage function for marketing avocadoes.

o-q) Break-out session on Sector Coordination and Policy Formulation
The Kenya Flower Council is an association of exporters, working to maintain Kenya's market share, particularly of imports to the EU (currently 31%). The industry is the country's third foreign exchange earner; it employs 50-70,000 people directly, and probably another 1m in ancillary services. It is implementing its own Code of Practice, and is particularly concerned about the future competitiveness of the industry. On-going work to improve regulation of the coffee industry was also outlined, through the establishment of a Coffee Apex Committee, and revised legislation.

A comprehensive report on the event has now been posted at the bottom of the list, below. Note, however, that it is rather large (10 Mb) - a smaller version is being sought.



Associated Activities and Documents
Synthesis Documents
»	Third National Conference of the BDS Donor Coordination Group, Kenya 2007