It’s harvest time in Bommett, in south-west Kenya. Like many other farmers, Anne Rono stands amongst dry maize leaves, bringing in the harvest with the help of the seven children. The smallest – a three-year-old – helps pick up maize from the ground that’s been forgotten by the others.
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Anne Rono, in Kenya, explains how P4P can change her life
This harvest has not been a good one. Normally, her one acre farm can produce about 14 bags of maize, but now the family has gathered just four bags. Nevertheless Anne needs to sell at least some of her grain to pay for school fees, and essentials that she can’t grow on the farm.
Normally, Anne is at the mercy of Kenyan traders, who take advantage of small farmers by offering them below market price for their maize. Now, under a World Food Program initiative called Purchase for Progress, or P4P, famers like Anne can choose to whom they sell their grain.
WFP is using its purchasing power to buy maize from small scale farmers like Anne. By giving small scale farmers access to fairer prices and a willing buyer, WFP hopes to put more cash into the hands of small scale farmers, and boost rural livelihoods.
Arben Caslli, Head of Procurement Unit with WFP Kenya, says: “The basis of P4P is that small farmers groups, gathering their grain together at a collection point, and WFP would pay to them the market prices which is higher than usually the middleman offer to small farmer holders”.
This is the first time that WFP will purchase food from small scale farmers in large quantities. Although WFP tries to purchase as much of its food locally, the organization normally relies on commercial farmers/ traders who can supply the large quantities that we need.
Anne Rono is excited about the new program, and believes that her seven children can benefit from it.
“P4P can change my life, because by selling maize, I will get money, so my kids can get a better education, they can change their lives, they can wear good shoes, clothes. And then, even me, I can get money so I can get fertilizer for the farm. So I know that P4P can help us,” she says.
At the moment life is very difficult for Ann. Although her farm is small, she would be able to produce more grain if she could buy better varieties of seeds and more fertilizers. Hopefully, with the extra money that she gets by selling her grain to WFP, she will be able to do so.
