The Co-operative University of Kenya’s Kenya Rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) has taken quite a drastic cause after the project acquired a modern technological server that is purposely intended to digitalise the farmers’ productivity and strengthen the cooperatives in the pilot areas of Nakuru, Narok, and Baringo counties.
The server acquisition is an attestation to the progressive strides the Co-operative University of Kenya and the project implementation partners have taken in realising the funding goals of AfDB.
This novel technological gadget has the capacity for sustainable and enhanced farmer connectivity, boosting farmer cooperatives, eliminating the perpetual risks of agricultural market cartels, and supporting the economic empowerment of the farmers.
During the server handover event, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Kamau Ngamau, reiterated the institution’s commitment to leveraging the robust potential of its technological infrastructure for enhanced farmer connectivity and seamless interactions among stakeholders within targeted value chains.
Through this initiative, smallholder farmers can now access essential agricultural services and inputs via an integrated system that incorporates agro-suppliers, produce markets, and vital government services.
Prof. Ngamau also emphasized the projected potential of the KRTCDP in realizing the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aligning with the principles of economic empowerment and food security through cooperative movements in key value chains such as Irish potatoes, dairy farming, and maize.
The server facilitates farmers’ access to real-time weather updates and critical market information via smartphone-enabled systems, aiding in agricultural decision-making and optimizing production in response to seasonal changes.
Funded by the AfDB’s Fund for Africa Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), the KRTCDP project aims to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability within farmer cooperatives, benefiting multiple stakeholders including agricultural cooperatives, the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, development partners, government agencies, and researchers.
Prof. Isaac Nyamongo, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Co-operative Development Research and Innovation (ACDRI), highlighted the server’s advanced technical capabilities, including dual Intel Xenon Platinum processors and 24 hard drives tailored to the specific needs of the KRTCDP project and the University’s digital network.
