Most communities agree that they have good farm produces but the most unfortunate thing is that they lack proper markets are unable to negotiate fair prices from the middlemen who collect produce from farmer’s homes hence dictating prices that they want to pay. Any efforts by farmers to protest this injustice has always ended in deepened strained relations that the middlemen and unscrupulous traders just use to further alienate the farmers by stopping purchases completely to induce unwarranted desperation in the community thereby forcing the farmers to even give out their produce for “free”.

Following Ujamaa’s work the price structures have changed to the positive in areas of Ndigiria and Bamba.  Several communal bargaining blocs have been formed to improve the negotiating power and hence provide opportunities beyond the individual dual approach of buyer and seller. The formation of farmers’ cooperatives to create institutions that go beyond the temporary negotiations, for instance in Kambe.

The formation of the Coast farmers’ forum that has since identified leadership and has commenced work having given the Minister of Agriculture their first memorandum has also added value to the advocacy work.

The diversification of products from the farms to create space for negotiating and value addition is a subject that is still being discussed. Most farmer groups have set up specific market days to stop traders from getting in to people’s farms and homes. The Center has managed to link the farmers with international processes that directly or indirectly affect their farming activities and this saw the first successful protest by farmers from Kilifi and Kwale at Ukunda during the WTO meeting at leisure lodge on the 3rd of March 2005. More meetings and engagements have been initiated for the farmers to create consistent awareness on all these issues of trade, prices, policies and international meddling plus the roles our governments play.

However in all the areas visited and where consultations have been on going there are concerns that most farmers may wish were addressed, as they are the perceived pillars of this situation. In the given circumstances their efforts alone may just bring out the concerns and no commitment from the central government. The government should welcome the revival of the industries that helped farmers in the processing of some of the produces from the farms. A broad campaign to expose the up-country cartels at Kongowea market is on the cards and would put on notice exploitative groups that have made it impossible for farmers in the region to sell their produce in the market. Other interventions that would prove effective if implemented are:

                                                                           i.      Lack of information
                                                                         ii.      Unfavorable policies
                                                                        iii.      Improved communication network
                                                                        iv.      Poor road system

                                                                         v.      Poverty, cartels and security

The formation of the Coast farmers’ forum that has since identified leadership and has commenced work having given the Minister of Agriculture their first memorandum has also added value to the advocacy work.