Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority
By Agnes Kitili
Vision statement
‘ Transformed livelihoods of fruit farmers in Makueni County ’
Mission statement
‘ To develop produce and market highquality fruits and fruit products globally ’
Background Information
Before devolution , the idea of establishing a fruit processing Plant in Makueni to help fruit farmers to stem wastage and raise incomes was always pre-eminent . However , the power and opportunity to allocate public resources of the magnitude required to realize this remained a dream . The idea of setting up a fruit processing plant in Makueni was conceived through public participation among the citizens of Makueni County . As per the findings of the public participation
and business plan , the Government of Makueni County ( GMC ) invested in the construction of the Makueni Fruit Processing Plant and it is considered the flagship project of the county .
The main objectives of MFPP were threefold :
• To reduce post-harvest losses of fruits ;
• To stabilize fruit prices ; and
• To provide an alternative market for fruits from Makueni County .
The MFPP was commissioned on 29th June 2017 by the Governor , H . E . Prof Kivutha Kibwana . To operate the plant profitably and sustainably the Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority ( MCFDMA ) was established through the Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority ( Amendment ) Act , 2017
The broad mandate of MCFDMA is to :
• Oversee the management of MFPP and
• Develop the fruit value chain in the County
The Makueni Fruit Processing Plant ( MFPP ) was established in line with the Government of Makueni County Vision 2025 Strategic Approaches to Economic Transformation Strategic Interventions No . 4 and No 6 . The focus for strategic intervention No . 4 is on the management of postharvest losses by way of promoting value addition to increase product shelf life as well as the development of food processing infrastructure . Strategic intervention No . 6 focuses on the promotion of value addition and marketing through providing support to the construction , commissioning and operationalization of the Makueni Fruit Processing Plant .
Credit : makueni . go . ke
The big four agenda for the national government entails ( among other things ) the promotion of Manufacturing and value addition . MCFDMA contributes towards this agenda by processing Mangoes into 100 % natural puree which ultimately will be reconstituted into ready to drink juice . The Plant can process 5 metric tonnes of raw mangoes producing 3,000 litres of mango puree per hour .
Kenya Cottage - DEAR Edition 21