On 1st October 2025, farmers from Oljoro Orok convened at the Ol Joro Orok Catholic Church for a training on Agri-Produce Value Addition, organized under the ASEC Project’s Market Access and Value Addition component. The session was conducted in partnership with the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries (MoALF) – Nyandarua County.
Building on the approach used in the Kagacha Farmers Cooperative training, this session was tailored to the unique farming systems of Oljoro Orok, focusing on food handling, branding basics, and low-cost processing methods. Farmers were encouraged to work collaboratively and explore shared processing units as a strategy for reducing costs and enhancing the profitability of their produce.
The training recorded a 100% participation rate, with farmers expressing strong enthusiasm for continued learning and engagement in value addition initiatives. Notably, participants began dialogues on establishing cooperative-led processing ventures, marking an important step toward building organized and sustainable agri-enterprises within the region.
While the session achieved its objectives, a few challenges were noted, including venue constraints that affected group breakout sessions and limited time for product-specific demonstrations.
The training successfully broadened farmers’ understanding of how value addition can transform their agribusiness models. Sustained mentorship and improved access to capital were identified as critical next steps to help farmers translate the acquired knowledge into viable enterprise opportunities.
