The Nairobi Farmers Market, located in Runda off Kiambu Road, is not your typical fresh produce outlet.
It is owned by farmers themselves who sell their produce directly to consumers, thus, the latter get to interact with producers and know where their food comes from.
The outlet has 30 shops selling all kinds of agricultural produce, from fruits to vegetables and honey.
“Most of the produce sold here comes from our farms but we also contract other farmers for what we don’t grow,” says Jeff Mundia, the general manager of the project.
Mundia operates one of the main shops at the market named The Farm Outlet, which sells produce from his family’s farms in Tharaka Nithi County.
He grows and sells pawpaws, passion fruits, bananas, plantains, avocado, water melon, onions, tomatoes, pumpkins and sugarcane.
“We started the market due to frustrations we encountered in efforts to sell our produce. I recall in March 2018, as a family we had produced more than 60,000 cabbages but had no market.”
They sold the produce to brokers who ended up making more than them.
“We asked ourselves, why can’t we bring farmers together and sell our produce directly to consumers?” he says.
They made a call on Facebook and farmers’ WhatsApp groups asking those interested in space at the proposed market to register.
Mundia says the response was incredible. “Many farmers were sufferings and were looking for a solution. This made our work easier.”
Construction started in 2019 and was completed at the end of last year.
Joyce Gichana and twin sister Ruth Wakonyo, 24, co-own an outlet that sells produce from their parents’ farm in Ruai, Nairobi.
“We grow tomatoes, capsicums, onions, cucumbers, cabbages and celery on 30 acres under irrigation. Of the farm, 12 greenhouses occupy two-and-half acres,” says Joyce, who holds a degree in public relations and psychology. Her sister Ruth studied international relations.
While they sell their produce through the outlet, they still supply to other markets.
“Every day we learn what consumers want in terms of produce which enables us know what to grow,” Ruth explains.
Their shop, Jorujo Fresh Veggies, was among the first to open, say the sisters, noting farming is the way to go for the youth.
Opposite their shop, Tevin Mutugi runs Granary Food Store, which he co-owns with his father. It deals with cereals grown on their 20 acres in Meru County.
They grow red and white cowpeas, kidney beans, pigeon peas (mbaazi), yellow beans and also black beans (njahi).
“This is the best place to sell our produce. We started with seven products and currently we have over 30,” Mutugi says.
Blossoms and Beehives, a honey outlet, sells the produce from their hives in West Pokot and Baringo, says Dorah James, an employee.
The market also hosts a vibrant dairy centre run by Jeremy Muthomi, who aggregates and supplies the produce to consumers.
The market’s management says they are keen to collaborate with other players in the agribusiness sector to sell produce at better prices.
Last month, the market hosted Kiambu County Harvest Festival where farmers sold a range of products and had the rare opportunity to develop contacts with institutional and individual buyers.
The festival was sponsored by Kenya Climate Innovation Centre (KCIC), which is funded by the European Union and Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event was opened by Kiambu Governor James Nyoro.
“We will be hosting such events regularly to facilitate a direct link between consumers and farmers,” Mundia says.
Other facilities at the market are butcheries, a fish centre and a restaurant. There is also a pharmacy and a wines and spirits shop.
“A wholesale and retail supermarket will open this month so that our customers can have the complete experience,” says Mundia. BY DAILY NATION