By Zablon Oyugi, March 21, 2024, The Co-operative University of Kenya has acquired a new modern technological server intended to digitalise farmers’ productivity and strengthen the cooperatives in the pilot areas of Baringo, Narok, and Nakuru counties.
Under the Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project, the acquisition has been termed as an attestation to the progressive strides the University and the project implementation partners have taken in realising the funding goals of the project’s financier, the African Development Bank (AfDB).
This cutting-edge technological device possesses the potential to foster sustainable and improved connectivity among farmers, bolstering cooperative efforts, eradicating the persistent threats posed by agricultural market monopolies, and promoting the economic empowerment of farmers.
“We intend to harness the formidable capabilities of this technological framework for enhanced and efficient farmer connectivity, as well as for facilitating seamless interactions among diverse stakeholders across the targeted value chains,” said Prof. Kamau Ngamau, the university Vice-Chancellor during the server handing over function.
Thanks to this commendable program and the opportunities afforded by the digital platform, small-scale farmers can now avail themselves of essential agricultural services and inputs through a unified system integrating agro-suppliers, markets for produce, and vital governmental services.
Professor Ngamau reiterated the KRTCDP’s anticipated role in advancing the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The outcome of this initiative aligns with the principles of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aiming for a nation that is economically empowered and food secure through cooperative efforts within crucial value chains like Irish potatoes, dairy farming, and maize.
The server significantly aids farmers in harnessing the mobile technology information superhighway via smartphone-enabled systems and programs.
Farmers will gain immediate access to real-time weather updates from the meteorological department and essential market information, crucial for making agricultural decisions and capitalizing on seasonal variations to optimize production.
The server significantly aids farmers in utilizing the mobile technology information superhighway through smartphone-enabled systems and programs.
They will enjoy immediate access to real-time weather updates from the meteorological department and vital market information, essential for agricultural decision-making and leveraging seasonal changes for optimized production.
The essence of the KRTCDP project, funded by the AfDB’s Fund for Africa Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), revolves around advancing productivity, profitability, and sustainability within farmer cooperatives. This endeavor strengthens and catalyzes a ripple effect throughout the agricultural sector.
The recipients of this initiative encompass a diverse range of stakeholders, including agricultural farmer cooperatives, financial institutions like the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, development partners, government agencies, and researchers.
Expanding on the server’s tailored technical features, Professor Isaac Nyamongo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Cooperative Development Research and Innovation (ACDRI), highlighted its incorporation of dual Intel Xeon Platinum modern-tech processors.
Moreover, Professor Nyamongo elucidated that the server is equipped with 24 hard drives boasting enhanced data storage capacities customized to meet the specific requirements of the dynamic KRTCDP project and the University’s digital network.
