COUNTY, NAVCDP SENSITIZES CDDC AND SACCO LEADERS ON FINANCIAL INCLUSION GRANTS
County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Mophat Mandela, attended a sensitization meeting for SACCO and Community-Driven Development Committee (CDDC) leaders on the Financial Inclusion Grant and Financial Inclusion Matching Grant under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
The meeting, held at Friends Hotel, Kakamega, brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for expanding access to affordable agricultural credit and strengthening farmer-based SACCOs across the county.
Through NAVCDP, Kakamega County targets approximately 288,000 eligible farmers across 60 wards, who will be linked to ward-based agricultural SACCOs. The programme will support eligible SACCOs through inclusion grants and matching grants to strengthen their operations, liquidity and capacity to provide affordable loans to farmers.
Seven SACCOs have qualified for the Inclusion Grant, with a combined allocation of KES 5.093 million, while five SACCOs in the first batch have been approved for matching grants amounting to KES 2.392 million, including the CDDC administration component.
The matching grant is designed to improve SACCO liquidity and enable farmers, particularly members of Common Interest Groups (CIGs) and Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups (VMGs), to access affordable credit for agricultural activities. Members will also be encouraged to cultivate a strong culture of saving, with loans offered through a graduated value-chain financing model.
The sensitization meeting emphasized accountability, prudent management of funds and collaboration among SACCOs, CDDCs, farmer groups and county agricultural stakeholders to ensure that the financing reaches its intended beneficiaries.
CECM Mophat Mandela reaffirmed the importance of strengthening farmer institutions and expanding access to affordable finance as part of efforts to enhance agricultural productivity, household incomes and sustainable livelihoods across Kakamega County.