Last week, a national newspaper stirred up a storm when it published that farmers would soon be required to obtain a license costing Ksh. 1 million to grow Mung beans, popularly known as Ndengu. The issue became so sensational that Kitui County senator, the sponsor of the bill, had to take to social media to clarify what his proposal actually entailed. However, even after reviewing the senator’s statement and reading the bill, I noticed a glaring omission—how such a law would benefit the local citizens.
My home is in Kitui County, where Ndengu is widely grown due to the arid and semi-arid nature of the region. Among all the crops we cultivate, Ndengu is the most commercialized, often referred to as the “coffee” of our region. It thrives with minimal rainfall, unlike other crops like maize that require more water.
However, one of the longest-standing issues has been the exploitation of farmers by brokers. Due to high poverty levels, farmers are often forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices. The situation is so dire that many farmers carry their Ndengu to the market in a sack and use the same sack to carry their shopping back home. The green grams, often purchased at as low as Ksh. 60 in Eastern Kenya, are sold at Ksh. 250 or more in Nairobi, with even higher export prices—this is inhumane and unfair to our people. After toiling on the land and harvesting the crop with itchy fingers, farmers don’t deserve this exploitation.
The proposed bill, however, is said to target large-scale farmers and focuses on running a registration drive in an effort to control the growing of Ndengu, neither of which are priorities for local citizens. What we need instead is a bill that prioritizes the real challenges facing Ndengu farmers.
As a resident farmer and social development expert, I propose the following:
- The bill should mandate the establishment of a minimum price per kilogram that buyers must pay. Not below a dollar.
- It should provide a clear structure for farmers to form cooperative societies to protect them from exploitation and it must ensure a transparent and profitable market system.
- The bill should include details on the conduct of community empowerment programs to encourage farmers to adopt best practices and to receive support from the county governments.
Such recommendations are urgent if we truly want to uplift the welfare of farmers and ensure that the fruits of their labour bring them the prosperity they deserve.
What other recommendations do you think could improve Ndengu farming in Kenya?
By Boniface Harrison
Email boniface@muemactionpost.org
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