Miraa farmers want Sacco to fight cartels, dodgy traders

Miraa farmers want the government to help them form a cooperative society as one way of streamline the sector.

Farmers who appeared before the Miraa Taskforce’s public hearings at Kangeta and KK markets on Tuesday, said part of the Sh1 billion allocated to the sector should be used to establish a miraa farmer’s savings and credit cooperative society (Sacco).

The Sacco, they said, will help streamline the sector and rescue them from unscrupulous brokers.

Mr Misheck Kuriuka, a farmer from Kangeta, said some traders "have been disappearing with farmers’ money without paying."

“We need farmers groups that will form a marketing cooperative to root out the cartels. We have lost money to traders who promise to pay after selling. Sometimes we also wait for more than one week to get our money,” Mr Kuriuka said.

He said the cooperatives would help address the challenges of marketing, production and social issues related with the crop.

Mr Baariu M’Limung’i said the lack of an organized body in the sector had contributed to thriving cartels in miraa business.

“We need an office where we can report violations from miraa cartels. Sometimes, the traders return dry twigs to farmers and fail to pay saying they did not sell.

We have been losing money to such unscrupulous traders,” Mr M’Limung’i said.

Ms Regina Kinya, told the taskforce that an unregulated miraa industry was the cause of many cases of family and land disputes.

“We need a cooperative that will finance farmers and reduce conflicts that result from the miraa earnings,” she said.

Mr Isaiah Ntongai blamed over-reliance on the stimulant for poverty and illiteracy in the Nyambene region.

He said the government should provide seed money to establish a farmers Sacco.

Mr Samson Meeme said a cooperative and clear leadership in the sector would help resolve the confusion that has marred miraa trade.

Mr Justus Kiringa, a resident of Akirang’ondu said the establishment of a Sacco will ease access of cheap loans for farmers who largely rely on daily harvests.

Ms Rahab Mwari said efforts by the farmers to establish a miraa cooperative in the 1970’s were thwarted by fears that it would kill the sector.

“We held meetings in 1974 but we disagreed with the leaders because they did not want to go to the farmers to seek their views. The cooperative should be established but ensure women are not impoverished by men. Our fear is that men may end up benefiting alone,” Ms Mwari said.

Farmers also want agricultural experts to start looking for a remedy into pest and diseases affecting the crop as well as provide extension services.

The 14-member taskforce is meeting stakeholders in Igembe North, Igembe South, Igembe Central, Tigania East, Tigania Central and Tigania West until September 19.