A Uasin Gishu-based enterprise is helping farmers attain optimum produce by supporting them with tailored agronomical support, access to post harvest processing facilities and a mobile hub of marketing. The AgriBiz client has developed an ecosystem of connecting hundreds farmers to markets where the company handles the delivery process; guaranteeing access to fresh, quality, safe and affordable produce.
The company, PalsAgri, commenced operations in 2013 as a farming venture and was incorporated in 2018 as part of corporate restructuring. Speaking during a visit by KCIC CEO Dr. Edward Mungai, Alvin Otieno of PalsAgri Ltd explains how the company is impacting hundreds of farmers’ livelihoods.
“Since our inception, we have developed a sustainable eco-system for our food by supporting farmers, local retailers, and local communities,” Alvin says. “We connect retailers and institutions with produce from our farmers and handle the delivery process, guaranteeing them access to fresh, quality, safe and affordable produce.”
KCIC CEO applauded the company that has hitherto created 30 jobs for being a change maker in the industry. “PalsAgri has also embedded sustainability by offering aggregation for waste grade produce, rental space for cold storage, mobile-based technology for networking of farmers and use of green energy and water recycling which is a move into the future and a move in the right direction,” Dr. Mungai has said.
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PalsAgri uses innovative technology by providing an integrated platform that brings together farmers, retailers, processors and the export market. It provides farmers’ access to continuous trade linkages and buyers to a diversified range of clean, sorted and processed fresh commodities with minimal disruptions to the supply chain. “We are adopting a 24-hour work system to ensure that we maximize the element of time as well as energy efficiency because the demand of on-grid power is less at night,” Alvin says.
Other solutions that it offers include solar powered packhouses offering aggregation services for fresh and waste grade produce, light goods vehicles for last mile collection and distribution and short term rental of space for cold storage, wet and dry processing, grading and packaging. It also offers a mobile based technology hub linking farmers to the market and consolidated cargo transporters and an integrated payment system enabling prompt transactions between the farmer and market.
“We have created a technology within the ecosystem for online bidding, purchase, produce aggregation, grading, cold storage, packaging and door delivery of fresh vegetables and fruits (F&V) for different cadres of buyers,” Alvin explains further.
