ABOUT USTAWI AFRIKA

INTRODUCTION

We are a Co-operative movement operating in Laikipia county but also drawing members from neighbouring Nyeri, Isiolo, and Meru Counties. We have offices in Nanyuki town which offers services to the four counties above.   The main purpose of Ustawi Afrika as a co-operative movement is to harness the economic and social might of smallholder farmers of Kenya.

The co-operative movement’s in Kenya contributions toward economic development is evident since independence. Through farmers Co-operatives dealing with tea, coffee, and milk. Communities through coming together have established factories which consequently enabled electrification in those areas. Road networks in tea-producing zones are upgraded through the farmers' co-operatives to enable the delivery of produce.

 

STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

USTAWI AFRIKA has the following key strategic objectives;

1. Recruit 500 clusters of 50 House-Holds each across the larger Laikipia County. This will also extend to parts of the Nyandarua, Nyeri, Meru, and Isiolo counties.

2. Intensively train and capacity build the cluster leaders. Train the Trainer (TOT) level.

3. Mindset Change. Agriculture as not a gamble and shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming (kilimo biashara).

4. Capacity Building. This is in the form of know-how and do-how as well as improved capacity to develop resources

5. Invest in Capital Equipment necessary to deliver on water infrastructure

6. Promote water harvestingpractises especially roof water harvesting for use on the farm

7. Irrigation systems. This will enable the growth of crops even out of season.

8. Empowering farmers through value addition and linking farmers to markets.

 

USTAWI AFRIKA FUNDAMENTAL AREAS THAT HELP ACHIEVE OUR GOALS

• Leadership:Ustawi’s main point of departure is in its leadership. The Ustawi team packs numerous years' experience of social change, enterprise, and empowerment and is fully sold and committed to the restoration of human dignity. This renders an operational-effectiveness advantage for sustained growth.

• Changing our members’ mindset:First and most fundamental to UstawiAfrika, therefore, is to cultivate a growth mindset in our membership for greater achievement, increased effort, and enhanced resilience. Mindset Change has a foundational significance because by changing our thinking we can transform our lives.

• Corporate Business: There are numerous business opportunities available to Ustawi Afrikathat are otherwise not available to individuals or small groups due to their complexity or financial level of entry. Of special interest to Ustawi Afrikais the 30% special government procurement business reserved for Women, Youth, and PWD's. Other identified sectors of interest are Food Processing, High-Value Agriculture, and Real Estate.

• Converting to agribusiness:we at UstawiAfrika will help member-farms convert from subsistence to commercial agribusiness units and then provide uptake of the farm produce for value-addition and market linkage. With this conversion, Ustawi Afrkawill turn these rural areas into zones of economic prosperity.

• large number of membership:Ustawi aims to be a more than 5000 member-organization uniquely configured to provide a secure platform for investor & partner engagement for sustained economic empowerment. The members provide the critical mass necessary for self-propulsion and sustained momentum.

 

USTAWI AFRIKA DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT HINDER AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION

The issues that hinder agricultural production are Capital, Water, Land, and Market Linkage. Ustawi’s strategic objective is to eliminate these impediments.

• We intend to totally eliminate dependency on rain-fed agriculture by our farmers. Instead, we shall educate and facilitate members on water harvesting to enable them to grow high-value crops throughout all seasons.

• Value addition and market linkage for our member’s produce. Through value addition, members will be able to fetch high prices for their produce, and also the products will not lack a market for their absorption.

• Capacity building - the know-how, the do-how. Most fundamental to Ustawi is the change of mindset. Ustawi Afrika's operation plan includes setting up demonstration farms in every cluster for selected value chains so that they can be reference areas for their agriculture.

• Capital matters - Ustawi is providing a financing platform by de-risking agriculture thus enabling banks to finance the farmers. Agriculture Insurance will also help farmers beat the risk threshold for bank lending.

• Aggressively tap into the numerous opportunities which are not available to smaller groups e.g. national and county government's tenders. Also, tap into the projects that require a high financial entry-level.

• On matters of land, Ustawi will involve the family leadership to mitigate hindrances brought by gender-driven biases on land usage.

 

UTAWI AFRIKA LIBARATING THE COMMUNITY

We at Ustawi Afrika are bringing together the people and their resources gearing toward liberating the communities.

As an organizationUstawi Afrika envisions a Liberated Community, living in Peace and Prosperity. Its singular purpose and goal is to create dynamic linkages and strategic partnerships for a collective approach to sustained empowerment.

USTAWI AFRIKA is about LIBERTY, PEACE, PROSPERITY and most of all HUMAN DIGNITY.