*N**airobi, Kenya. 19 February 2014 *- Today, the United State Agency for In
ternational Development (USAID) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in A
frica (AGRA) launched a multi-partner initiative – Strengthening Agricultural
Input and Output Markets in Africa (SAIOMA). This initiative will improve f
armers’ access to markets, increase their earnings, and improve the liveliho
od and well-being of their families. SAIOMA is a three-year Global Development
Alliance between USAID, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Swedish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is also being implemented in Kenya and Za
mbia.
SAIOMA will benefit 100,000 smallholder farmers and 550 agro-dealers in six
districts in four counties in Eastern Kenya. Agricultural Markets Development
Trust (AGMARK) will lead a consortium made up of the Cereal Growers Associat
ion (CGA), and Cooperative Consultancy Insurance Agency (CCIA) to implement
the project. “The SAIOMA initiative is timely because it addresses a real
need in the agriculture value chain, of ensuring that farmers have access to
necessary inputs to raise their productivity and they are facilitated to in
crease their overall earnings from agriculture. This venture is a win-win for
all partners involved,” said Karen Freeman, USAID Mission Director in Kenya.
“The SAIOMA initiative complements AGRA’s other market access initiatives an
d in Kenya we aim to work closely with county governments in Kitui, Meru Nor
th, Tharaka Nithi and Machakos, in alignment with their own agricultural gr
owth priorities” said Anne Mbaabu, Director of Market Access Program, AGRA.
The *U.S. Agency for International Development *(USAID) partners to end extr
eme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing our
security and prosperity. Feed the Future is President Barack Obama’s Global
Hunger and Food Security Initiative. It raises agriculture productivity, inc
reases household incomes, and improves nutritional status.
The *Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa *(AGRA) is a partnership of t
he Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill and & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK
Department for International Development (DFID) working with African gover
nments, other donors, NGOs, the private sector and African farmers to signif
icantly and sustainably improve productivity and incomes of resource poor f
armers in Africa.
The *Bill and & Melinda Gates Foundation *works in developing countries on
improving people’s health and
giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty.
The *Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs *helps create conditions that ena
ble poor people to improve their lives. Under the economic growth and devel
opment component of Swedish assistance, a large number of efforts are underw
ay that pave the way for economic growth in partner countries.