EDITORIAL: Farmers need to be made aware of available opportunities

Many farmers of late have been complaining of not fully earning their fair share of their endeavours. Last week, it was dairy farmers who decried the inefficiencies of milk collection centres. They claimed that it has forced them to sell their produce to informal buyers, most of the time at unfavourable prices, just to get the milk off their hands. This week, it was the time for grain farmers – maize in particular – to vent their frustration over unscrupulous speculators who take the lion’s share of the profits from their hard work. In many cases, farmers are the very causes of the existence of speculative business people. Prices are always lower during harvest time because the farmers want to sell their produce as soon as possible. The speculators come in, hold onto the grain until prices are favourable. That is what farmers should be emulating, and some investors such as the East African Exchange (EAX) and the Rwanda Grain and Cereals cooperation (RGCC) are there to help them do just that; to stock their produce on their behalf and source for bigger and profitable markets. But it seems many farmers are not aware of the fact and the blame lies squarely on their local leaders who do not sensitise them on such opportunities, or that banks are being brought on board to develop loan products for small holder farmers using their produce as collateral. However, it does not help matters when even local leaders have no idea of the existence of the likes of EAX or RGCC or the willingness of financial institutions to extend services to the farmers. So, whatever sensitisation campaigns are carried out, they should begin with opinion leaders at the grassroots level, then the issue of speculators will be no more.

Opinions

EDITORIAL: Farmers need to be made aware of available opportunities