Lobby and Advocacy for improved business environment of Pyrethrum Farmers Addition 2014

The promulgation of the Pyrethrum ACT has been seen as a major step towards realizing a liberalized pyrethrum agricultural sub-sector: thereby providing for players to enter the subsector as pyrethrum flower buyers and pyrethrum oil extractors thus ending the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya monopoly. However since the Pyrethrum Act was amended beginning 2013, the regulations have not yet been revised to implement the amendments.
PGA succeeded in its lobby endeavors and at the same time gained a few things as well:
- the issue has been brought to the attention of many 
- PGA made its debut in the media and on the floor of Parliament
- New allies have been found that may be very relevant in the future (in parliament, businesses)
- Strong unity in this lobby project
- PGA has potential to contribute to revive the Pyrethrum Sub Sector.

Agriterra will support PGA in 2014 (last year of support) in the efforts for monitoring / lobbying the further implementation of the Pyrethrum Amendment Bill.
PGA needs to re-orient its self so that it can fit well in the new dispensation of the County governments as they come into force after 2012. Rift Valley province hosts 14 counties which will remain the home for pyrethrum production globally. This will be the major area of business concentration. PGA will lobby for more financial investments from the local government into Pyrethrum production.

Addition 2013

The Pyrethrum Growers Association of Kenya (hereby referred as PGA) is a Producers Organization registered under the Societies Act with its headquarters in Molo. It was established in 2001 to represent the interests of the small scale pyrethrum growers country wide. Currently, PGA has a membership of 6,330 registered members spread across the 20 (old) pyrethrum growing districts Now condensed to 18 Counties   with a PGA contact person in each of the districts. 

The role of the Association is to organise pyrethrum farmers in the country with a view to empower them, lobby and advocate for enabling policy and legislative environment in the country, represent member’s views to the Government and update members on development in the sub-sector. It also aims at promoting the sub sector to regain its position in the country’s economic development.

Kenya has been the largest pyrethrum producer in the world producing about 57% of production. However, this situation has changed where farmers have abandoned production due to non-payment of their deliveries by Pyrethrum board of Kenya (PBK).   

The act has been amended (january 2013). A new law is in place. PGA is now working towards the implementation of this law.

Pyrethrum farmers can now sell their crop under a liberalized market structure.



2011 - 2012

Pyrethrum growers association (PGA), is a rural non-political community based organization registered by the Kenya government under the societies act.

RELEVANCE OF PYRETHRUM
Pyrethrum produces a natural chemical called pyrethrin which is used in the control of both domestic and field pests. These chemical is user friendly and is less harmful to the environment for it is rapidly biodegraded after use.
Kenya is a major supplier of pyrethrins and accounts for 70-80% of the world´s demand.

MISSION STATEMENT
The association PGA works to overcome poverty through the empowerment of communities and farmers´ organization such as women, youth, self-helpgroups, co-operative societies and individual farmers in order for them to achieve sustainable development and livelihood irrespective of tribe, class, political system, gender religion or colour.

MEMBERSHIP
Members are mainly small-scale farmers who cultivate pyrethrum in the Kenyan highlands and are made up of:
-4500 members under women self help groups;
-1500 youth involved in pyrethrum production;
-300   under co-operative societies;
-200   large scale farmers.

SECRETARIAT
The organization has a secretariat comprising a coordinator with technical training in Agriculture with over 30 years experience in pyrethrum matters, 2 technical staff and about 50 sub-coordinators at farm level.

COLLABORATORS
- The Ministry of agriculture 
- Pyrethrum Board of Kenya 
- The nationalPyrethrum Research Station 
- Church Organizations 
- Donor Agencies 
- Interested Individuals

2014 addition:

Main objective: 

To contribute to the revival and promotional of the pyrethrum industry of Kenya and improve the livelihood of pyrethrum farmers 

Results

1. Effective new pyrethrum regulations
2. Enhanced budget allocation to pyrethrum value chains in pyrethrum growing counties (1.000.000 Euro)
3. Strengthened PGA 
4. Strengthened producer organizations/Groups
5. Improved quality and quantity production.
6. Enhanced marketing
7. Mobilization of rural finance

Activities

1.a Support lobbying and advocacy initiatives (For the New Pyrethrum 
       regulations to work for the Pyrethrum Farmers).
       -  Lobby information (consultation) gathering using FACT tool
       -  develop and position paper
   b. Facilitate in sensitization of pyrethrum Act & member mobilization 
      (Regulations) and representation at the board of management. 
      regulatory and the commercial arm of PBK
   
2.a  Support use of ICT and Documentation of all the achievements of 
       PGA in  the Lobby Agenda

3.a Carry out organization Assessment
   b. Build capacity of leaders
   c. Build capacity of staff
   d. Hold quarterly meetings with organization/group leaders (Regular 
       Reviews especially on the market Prices and dynamics.
   e. Develop organization promotional material and regular participation 
       of Stakeholders meetings.

4.a Carry out OA in selected Organizations/groups of selected Counties (To monitor local assemblees for regulations.)
   b. Build Capacity of leaders of producer organizations
   c. Build capacity of Staff
   d. Carry out environmental Assessment 

5.a Train farmers on high quality/quantity pyrethrum production
5.b Support pyrethrum seedlings/nurseries establishment 
5.c Support Environmental initiatives 
5.d Support Gender/HIV/AIDS initiatives (Reduce any new  incidents)

6.a Carry out market survey ( Update the farmers regularly)
6.b Participate in pyrethrum value chain forums ( National Pyrethrum Value Chain Platform )

7.a Train Village Savings Loans Action promoters
7.b Sensitize farmers on the village saving and loaning concept
 

Addition 2013

Background

The Pyrethrum  Act  Cap 340 laws of Kenya  amended and passed in parliament was ascended into law on the 14th January 2013. While the efforts to repeal the act was celebrated by all the Stakeholder led By the PGA  the same has some offensive clauses that if they are implemented as they contain in the new Act then the gains could be eroded getting back the Pyrethrum Farmers to where they were before the amendments. The Act is headed to lmplematation stage and it is at this point that PGA has the opportunity to engage the same parliament to have the Act amended once and for all.

The Main contentious Clauses that require Urgent attention for lobby is Article 6 and article 19. Article 6 is the composition of the board which accommodated only 2 farmer representatives out of the 10 board of directors appointed. This representation is quite insignificant and hence the farmers Voice will not be recognized and this will lead to the past Mismanagements by the Government heavy representation.
Article 19 is all about the licensing and the powers of issuing business licensing in the Pyrethrum Value chain rests with the New Board refered to as the Regulatory. This will sneak back the Monopoly powers to the Sector, the same that PGA has been fighting for its removal for a long time.

PGA has already Filed a motion in parliament with a  focus on the two articles that require attention. Article 6 and 19. 

In the foregoing therefore PGA has lined the above 5 Activities to undertake  to achieve our objective whose expected outcome will be:

Main activities

Hire technical staff members to support the leaders for effective service delivery 

Review of the associations’ constitution to align it to the national constitutional dispensation

Conduct members need analysis Using FACT Tool.

Sensitize the pyrethrum members on the contents of the New Pyrethrum Act 2013.

Registration and operationalization of cooperatives and self-help groups.

Monitoring and evaluation   


Specific mentioned lobby activities

-	Mobilization and sensitization of the PGA Board, PGA District committees
-	Visibility and lobby activities (press conferences, media publication, printing of brochures)
-	Prepare a petition, policy position paper (Collect 2000+ signatures of Pyrethrum farmers to support the lobby agenda)
-	Organize networking event with key stakeholders (members of  Parliament and the Senate)
-	Organize networking event with all members from the pyrethrum Growing Areas (include the county members of the Local assembly for support in the proposed legislation)


The total budget of the annual plan PGA is 45.975 Euros. The requested Agriterra financial support is 15508 Euro's for lobby activities. PGA contribution to the annual budget is 20%. The remaining costs are supported by Business Advocacy Fund and the Kenyan Agricultural productivity Fund (World Bank).


2012

To Increase pyrethrum Productivity for improved farmers livelihoods

Introduction and Background

Pyrethrum is one of the major cash crops in Kenya, which is grown along the former white highlands. It grows well in the cold areas with high rainfall. Kenya has been the world producer of pyrethrum because of its favorable climate. It is actually the custodian of the world standards of Pyrethrum. Pyrethrum contains pyrethrum which is an active ingredient in manufacture of a natural insecticide. Pyrethrum by products is used for animal feed production, and the stovers are fuel. Recently pyrethrum farmers have faced a myriad of problems and among them non-payment of their produce by the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya (PBK) the main market of pyrethrum. Majority of farmers have since abandoned its production and taken up alternative enterprises, especially Irish potatoes which has similar agro-ecological requirements.  

Problem statement

Pyrethrum production is at its all time low despite its increased market demand. It is recommended for use in production of organic food products which are gaining a lot of attention worldwide.
The famers have abandoned its production and the few producing are not well coordinated.
The policy framework has remained unfavorable and unsupportive to pyrethrum production and processing as the pyrethrum Act is still draconian and outdated

Justification

Pyrethrum has ready market worldwide and Kenya is a strategic country for its production as it lies within the equator, it has tropical climate. The main competitors are Tasmania    Rwanda and Tanzania. However their volume of production does not satisfy the market. Therefore there is need to aggregate the farmers together to lobby for better policy environment. This can be done by supporting PGA to play its active role of mobilization, lobby and advocacy and undertaking businesses linkage related activities for its sustainability. There is need to carry out a survey to establish the actual hectarage under pyrethrum production to inform on lobby concerns and also carry out a study on social and economic impacts of pyrethrum growing within the households.    

OBJECTIVES

1 To Establish and develop Business marketing links with private sector and other players. 
2. To commission a study on Social and Economic impacts of Pyrethrum Production.
3. To hold consultative for a with the legislature to lobby for enactment of private member bill on pyrethrum act  
4. To coordinate the projects activities 
Expected Output
1.  Business marketing links with private sector and other players. 
2.  A study on Social and Economic impacts of Pyrethrum Production.
3.  Buy in by the parliamentarians  
4. Effective project implementation 

The project is proposed to start June 2011 and be executed  to Dec 2012

ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN
	
1 Develop and Establish Business marketing links with private sector and other players.	
             •           Carry out survey to determine the actual acreage 
                          under pyrethrum cultivation 
	•	Carry out need assessment for PGA Board membe
	•	Develop the skills within the PGA Board.	
	•	Setting up the linkage platforms	
	•	Contracting PGA members	

2. Commission a study on Social and Economic impacts of Pyrethrum Production.	
             •           Gender issues, including HIV/AIDS		
             •	Environment including the impact of climate changes.	
3. Lobby and Advocacy	
                         Consultative fora with the MPs from Major pyrethrum 
                         growing areas 	
	•	Mobilization and sensitize  other stakeholders for lobby
 	
4. Coordination  and M and E	
•	project activities	
•	Running of secretariat
	
Total 		16500
PGA contribution 	10%	1500
Agritterra support		15000

Budget Note;
Of the proposed Budget PGA will contribute 1500 time, labour and space

Note: PGA doesn't have any payed staff, only volunteers

To contribute to the revival and promotional of the pyrethrum industry of Kenya and improve the livelihood of pyrethrum farmers