User:CGA

WHO WE ARE
Cereals Growers Association (CGA) is a national member-based farmer organization incorporated in August 1996, to bring commercial cereal farmers – both small and large - together in addressing industry challenges in Kenya. CGA works with industry stakeholders such as agricultural input suppliers, financial institutions, insurance companies, output buyers, development partners, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and others to provide services to its members. Headquartered in Nairobi, CGA is on a day to day basis run by a team of professionals led by a Chief Executive Officer who is appointed by a Board of Trustees. A team of experienced field staff runs the field operations. Currently, CGA has a staff component of 43 and serves about 300,000. These are found in all the main cereal growing regions of Kenya including Nakuru, Narok, Trans Mara, Bomet, the greater Kisii, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Lugari, Migori, Machakos, Kitui and the area around Mount Kenya region (Timau and Laikipia). Other than the farmer members, there are also Associate Members who are mainly private sector companies and suppliers of inputs and services to Kenyan cereal farmers.

OUR VISION
CGA’s vision is to be the most credible and effective farmers’ empowerment organization in Africa

OUR MISSION
CGA’s mission is to bring all cereal farmers together for collective action to ensure sustained improvement to their farming enterprises

Our Mandate
Through its operations, CGA aims to; Organize cereal farmers into fully functioning business structures and offer business support services that will grow their farming business and improve their livelihoods

Our Core Values
We are responsive and adjust our plans and services to the changing national and global development needs. Collaboration We work together with likeminded people and organizations to realize sgared goals and objectives for the benefit of all our stakeholders. Respect for the environment We act as stewards in protecting, preserving and enhancing our surroundings. We protect the environment and strengthen our businesses by making environmental issues an integral part of all our business activities. We relate to all without discrimination or favoritism of any kind. We foster an environment where employees and clients are treated with respect and dignity regardless of their racial, religious, social, gender or political backgrounds. We value individual excellence and work as a team to ensure synergy in the conduct of our activities for the benefit of the organization and our stakeholders. We maintan a culture of transparency in dealing with staff and all our stakeholders and uphold high ethical standards at al times. This we do through adhering to honesty, faithfulness, truthfulness and reliability in all decisions and actions. Members of CGA Management and staff adhere to the highest level of professional ethics in pursuing our mandate
 * Dynamism
 * Impartiality
 * Teamwork
 * Transparency and Integrity
 * Professionalism

OUR PRODUCTS

 * 1) CEREAL NOTEBOOK-this is CGA’s monthly newsletter. It contains a summary of relevant agricultural news and highlights on CGA’s projects


 * 1) THE SOWER- a quarterly magazine. We produce about 5000 copies with a reach effectiveness of about 500 000 readers. It highlights the key issues in the agricultural industry, within depth interviews on the latter


 * 1) Cereal Growers SACCO Society Limited - a farmer based Savings and Credit Cooperative established by Cereal Growers Association (CGA) with the aim of improving the economic and social livelihood of its members.  The launching of the SACCO was a response to the plight of farmers over the years in accessing finance to run their farming businesses.  Cereal Growers SACCO seeks to promote a savings and investment culture among the farmers while providing affordable and viable agricultural credit.  At the same time, the SACCO seeks to facilitate an opportunity for joint output marketing as well as joint input procurement.


 * 1) CEREALMART- a web-based interactive platform that allows all CGA members to post information on both what they require (inputs) and what they have available for sale. CerealMart has a bulk SMS component that allows for a more efficient communication to our members and can also be available for any associate members to market their products and services.
 * 2) Field Days- these are field days hosted by CGA- the for a is mainly for networking purposes and getting information on the latest products and services in the agriculture industry
 * 3) Agricultural Consultancy-  Farm Management consultancy, farmer training consultancy, developing training materials, event organizing  or partnership

Our Sevices

 * 1) Farmer Mobilization: Mobilization of farmers both small and large scale to provide a forum for collective action both in for enhanced operational efficiency and advocacy.
 * 2) Farmer Training: The trainings include GAP, PHH, Entrepreneurship & Business planning, and Organisational Development
 * 3) Facilitate Technology Transfer Activities
 * 4) Input and Output Linkages Initiatives
 * 5) Agricultural Consultancy: Farm Management, Training, Convening and event organizing, Carrying out baseline survey, Mid and End Term evaluation
 * 6) Advocacy & lobbying – through engaging the Government for favourable / sustainable agricultural policies.

Summary of Relevant Experience in Similar Assignments
Over the last ten (10) years, CGA has successfully implemented a number of projects including: USAID funded Kenya Maize Development Programme (KMDP) aimed at improving productivity of maize farming; AGRA supported projects to assist smallholder cereals farmers to access markets and commercialise traditional staple crops in Eastern, Rift Valley and Nyanza provinces targeting maize, beans, sorghum, cowpeas, green grams and pigeon peas in particular. CGA has also worked with USAID COMPETE to facilitate access of smallholder cereal farmers in Kenya and Tanzania to improved storage facilities for produce aggregation. Currently, CGA has a project with the World Food Program (P4P) to mobilize, train and link smallholder farmers, initially to the WFP market, then other market outlets. Another project that CGA is currently running is known as Strengthening Agricultural Inputs and Outputs Markets in Africa (SAIOMA) in 4 counties and is also a sub contractor under USAID KAVES working in 14 counties.

Summary of Main Clients
In addition to the farmer clients, CGA has in the past successfully implemented projects as listed in the table below:

Client 	Project 	Period 	Status ACDI-VOCA as an implementing partner	US$ 11.0 million USAID funded Kenya Maize Development Program (KMDP)	2003-2012	Completed Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)	US$ 0.9 million “Strengthening the capacity of small holder farmers to access markets”	2009-2012	Completed Chemonics International through the USAID COMPETE project	US$ 0.44 million “Establishment of Model Satellite Stores MoSS) in Kenya and Tanzania	2009-2012	Completed AGRA	US$ 0.8 million “Commercializing Traditional Staple Crops in Eastern Kenya and Nyanza	2011-2014	Ongoing AGRA (sponsored by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID)	US$ 0.9 million SAIOMA	2013-2015	ongoing Fintrac as a sub contractor	US$ 1.5 million USAID KAVES – maize and staples value chain	2014 – 2016	Ongoing

Other Company Expertise/Experience
CGA is first and foremost a commercial farmers’ organization whose focus is on how to enhance the productivity of its members. The organization therefore has a keen sense of what technologies farmers are looking for and the considerations they make when making commercial choices related to new technology. This places the organization in a unique position as a bridge between suppliers and users of agricultural technology in Kenya.

CGA also publishes on a quarterly basis, a widely regarded in-house magazine that is used to publicize organizational activities as well as industry highlights. This magazine is self supporting through sales of advertisement space to private sector players in Kenya through which they are, on their part, able to create awareness about any of their emerging technologies and innovations.

CGA is a founder member of the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) and the Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK) as well as the Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF). CGA is also a member of the industry constituted standing sub-committee on cereals. Chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture, this committee brings together participants from the Cereal Millers Association (CMA) and the Ministry of Finance. Through all these industry linkages, CGA has a detailed view of the industry challenges and the emerging opportunities too.

MEMBERSHIP
Since CGA is a member based organization- members (both farmers and companies) pay and register to become part of CGA. We have two types of members:

Associate Members
These are different organizations signing up to be part of CGA. As an associate member, you get the following benefits:
 * 1) Linkage to farmer groups- CGA mobilizes small, medium and large scale farmers to facilitate group action in input procurement access to extension services, marketing of their produce, credit access, etc. Associate members can be linked to these farmers and use them in different projects.
 * 2) Access to information and new technologies relating to the agricultural industry via
 * CEREAL NOTEBOOK
 * CEREALMART
 * THE SOWER
 * FIELD DAYS
 * 1) Discounts at different CGA events
 * 2) Opportunity to network with different stakeholders in the agricultural field during CGA events
 * 3) Membership Profile on the website and CEREAL NOTEBOOK
 * 4) Opportunity to market your products and services by advertising in THE SOWER and sponsoring/ exhibiting in field days
 * 5) Opportunity to send farmers instant messages via CEREALMAT
 * 6) Unlimited access to CGA’s website which offer interactive online activities and development information within the agricultural industry
 * 7) Receive quarterly magazine- THE SOWER and monthly newsletter- CEREAL NOTE BOOK

Ordinary Members
These are farmers who have registered to be part of CGA As a CGA ordinary member, you receive the following benefits:
 * 1) Access to farmer training fora- we facilitate the training of farmer groups to build their capacities to engage other players in their respective value chains
 * 2) Access to extension services- in partnership with other stakeholders we facilitate technology transfer through on-farm demonstrations and field days
 * 3) Linkage to Post Harvest Handling Services- we facilitate training of farmers on proper post-harvest handling skills and link them to appropriate grain handling facilities to minimize post-harvest losses
 * 4) Linkage to Output Marketing- we train and facilitate farmers to undertake aggregation and jointly market their produce
 * 5) Linkage to Credit Service Providers- we train and facilitate farmers to access affordable credit. CGA has its own SACCO; to offer better and very affordable loans to farmers
 * 6) Input Procurement Facilitate Services- we facilitate members to procure farm inputs in bulk thereby attracting quantity discounts and reducing chances of buying fake inputs
 * 7) Representation in fora through advocacy and lobbying actions on key issue- CGA continuously engages the Government in dialogue to ensure formulation and implementation of sustainable agricultural policies
 * 8) Membership Profile on the website and on CEREAL NOTEBOOK
 * 9) Easy and free access and exposure to information and new technologies related to Agriculture from:
 * THE SOWER
 * CEREAL NOTEBOOK
 * CEREALMART
 * FIELD DAYS
 * 1) Networking with different stakeholders along the grain value chain
 * 2) CGA to organize educational field visits around the globe to improve adoption of new technologies