Shalem Investments is a sorghum aggregator and trader based in Meru county. It has a supply contract with EABL, a leading beer manufacturer with a wide range of products including a sorghum based Senator Keg beer that targets the BoP market. The sorghum market was largely dependent on the brewers demand for the grain. Other off takers have been identified in the animal feeds sector where the demand for the grain is growing albeit at a lower price.
Achievements
Introduce hybrids and better yielding disease resistant varieties of sorghum
Train SHFs, through a Farmer Field School (FFS) model
Develop a comprehensive financial package for the ABCs
Strengthening of the POs, to improve collective marketing
Introduction of an ICT platform for VC coordination (information, data management) and farmers’ payment.
Targets:
Increase purchases to 6,000 tons of sorghum per year and reach 14,000 farmers (10,000 women) in Meru County and involve 18 SMEs of which 3 are female-headed.
Market Segments:
Sorghum based Senator Keg beer, sorghum based animal feeds, a BoP sorghum based flour (developed in collaboration with BoP Inc.)
Project partners
Unga limited (a supply agreement being negotiated)