In the heart of Kenya's agricultural belt, Bungoma is known for its rich soils and hardworking farmers. For generations, the cycle has been familiar: plant, tend, harvest, sell the raw produce, and wait for the next season. But this cycle often leaves farmers at the mercy of market prices, with minimal profits to show for their labor.

A quiet revolution is underway. Farmer groups and VSLAs across Bungoma are breaking this cycle by harnessing the power of collective finance. They’re no longer just growing maize and beans; they’re growing their wealth. Here’s how they’re doing it:

1. Pooling Resources for Bulk Power.
Instead of individual farmers selling small, scattered portions to middlemen at low prices, groups are now pooling their harvests. By selling in bulk, they negotiate significantly better prices from large buyers and processors. The income from these sales is then deposited directly into their Intelli-Cash group account, creating a substantial shared capital base.

2. Investing in Themselves with Smart Loans.
With a growing pool of capital, the next step is strategic investment. Groups are using Intelli-Cash to manage low-interest loans to their own members for critical inputs:

• Quality Seeds & Fertilizer: Loans to purchase high-yield, drought-resistant seeds and sufficient fertilizer, ensuring a better harvest.

• Equipment: Funding for shared assets like solar dryers, irrigation pumps, or chaff cutters, which reduce labor costs and losses.

• Value Addition: This is the game-changer. Groups are taking out larger loans to invest in small-scale processing—like milling maize into flour, packaging green grams, or making peanut butter. A kilo of milled flour fetches far more than a kilo of raw maize.

3. Weathering Risks with a Social Fund.
A sudden drought or illness can devastate an individual farmer. Within a group, the social fund managed on Intelli-Cash acts as a safety net. Members can access emergency funds for medical bills or to replant crops, ensuring a single setback doesn’t wipe out a family’s livelihood.

A Real-Life Example: The Soya Success Group
One group in Webuye transitioned from growing and selling raw soybeans to producing and packaging roasted soya nuts. Using their Intelli-Cash transaction history, they qualified for a KES 80,000 loan from our Farmers Revolving Fund. They purchased a roaster and packaging materials. Now, they sell their products to local schools and supermarkets, increasing their profit margin by over 200%. Their group savings have swollen, allowing them to offer larger loans to members.

Your Group’s Next Harvest Can Be Different.

The journey from seed to sale doesn’t have to end with a low-profit transaction. Your group has the power to control the entire chain.

• Start Small: Use Intelli-Cash to faithfully record your savings and build a financial history.

• Plan Together: Identify one value-added product your group could create.

• Access Capital: Your consistent record-keeping on Intelli-Cash is your key to unlocking larger funds for investment.

The fields of Bungoma are proving that when farmers come together, they don’t just grow food—they grow futures.

Is your group ready to explore value addition? Contact us to learn how Intelli-Cash and the Farmers Revolving Fund can support your journey.