NAIROBI — Karikoini Green Growers, a group of nine women and 24 men located in Kenya’s Central Province, had gross sales of $7,143 in 2004. They were growing a variety of traditional crops, had low yields, and were selling to informal markets at inconsistent prices.

In April 2005, the group began receiving assistance from Fintrac’s Kenya Horticultural Development Program (KHDP), which is funded by USAID. Fintrac introduced new production technologies and crops, provided marketing support, and trained members in group organization and management.

Through January 2007, Fintrac field agronomists have made 25 extension visits to the group’s farms and conducted 17 on-farm training programs. The group is linked with the Kenya Horticultural Exporters Limited (KHE), a major supplier of fine beans and other fresh produce to the European market. Through the KHDP-KHE alliance, the group became EurepGAP certified in November 2006, a major achievement that enabled sales of French beans into the European market.

In less than two years, the group’s gross sales have increased more than 2000 percent to $177,143 in 2006. Employment has expanded from 15 to 264 individuals, 75 percent of whom are women

Fintrac continues to assist the group through regular extension and training visits by program agronomist Timothy Mwangi. To further increase incomes, reduce risks through diversification, and increase production of crops high in nutritional content, demonstration plots have been established for passion fruit, butternut squash, tomatoes, and a range of traditional African leafy vegetables.

The KHDP program is working with hundreds of other farmer groups throughout Kenya, particularly focusing on remote areas where farmers have never received assistance. The Karikoini Green Growers group is one of 53 grower groups (representing more than 1,500 small farmers) that have achieved EurepGAP certification in Kenya. With continued assistance from KHDP and its public-private sector alliance partners, thousands more farmers are expected to be certified in 2007.