We recently had the honour of welcoming the Deputy British High Commissioner and Development Director to Kenya, Leigh Stubblefield, to our Sustainable Economic Urban Development programme (SUED) project sites in Kilifi county.
With its focus on attracting investment in climate resilient infrastructure and agricultural processing projects across Kenya, the FCDO-funded SUED programme aims to create job opportunities and foster inclusive and resilient economic growth.
The Deputy High Commissioner’s visit highlighted the tangible outcomes of SUED’s efforts to secure partnerships and empower local agribusinesses, showcasing how our initiatives strengthen the local economy and transform lives.
Visit to the Milly Fruits factory
SUED is supporting Milly Fruits to develop a new 1,450 square metre climate-friendly fruit drying facility. This facility – which will specialise in drying mangoes, pineapples and coconuts for export to Europe and the Middle East – will create up to 4,000 jobs while enhancing climate resilience and reducing waste.
During her visit at Milly Fruits’ factory, Ms Stubblefield met the leadership team and the farmers to learn more about their work within Kilifi’s agricultural sector and how their expertise will support the implementation of the fruit drying facility project in Malindi municipality. “SUED is the primary reason why we have extended our work into Malindi,” shared Azeem Rashid, Milly Fruits Director. “The programme demonstrated to us how critical it was to build the factory right near the farmers and encourage them to grow more produce. Their partnership with us will ensure that the local population economically benefit from the project.”
Ms Stubblefield commended the Milly Fruits partnership, emphasising the significance of expanding the opportunities for farmers. “It’s important to work with partners such as [Milly Fruits] to scale up the reach of our work in previously ostracised places and work together to make sure that small scale farmers are appreciative of the potential of their farms and how they can use their agricultural produce as an income earner. In doing so, we will be able to ensure that families see the value of their land and put priority on growing more fruit trees to increase their incomes.”
Visit to the chilli processing plant
The Deputy High Commissioner also visited a chilli processing plant, where SUED has played a key role in helping Equator Kenya Limited (Equator) integrate climate-smart technology at its chilli processing facility. This initiative has already supported nearly 5,000 farmers and aims to reach a total of 11,000, while also making significant strides in improving climate resilience in the region.
At the facility, Ms Stubblefield listened to farmers’ experiences and learned how Equator has provided them with essential resources, including seeds, extension services that guided farmers on best agricultural practices, and logistical support for harvesting produce. As a result of SUED’s support, Equator doubled its annual dried chilli production and expanded its farmer network from 1,700 to 5,000 while upgrading its current facility to become more climate resilient in its energy use.
“Equator had been able to increase its farmers network with the support of SUED. We’ve been able to ensure that we have a steady supply for our international market,” noted Abubakar Ali, Equator’s Director, as he reflected on the growth of their operations.
During the visit to the chilli farm, the Deputy High Commissioner spoke with the small-scale farmers to learn how chilli farming has impacted their lives.
Karembo, a small-scale chilli farmer in Malindi, shared, “I have used the additional funds to pay for school fees, buy additional groceries and cater for the small expenses at home allowing my husband to utilise his income for the bigger purchases in the home. My kids can now go to school comfortably as I am able to pay for stationary and additional school requirements. Their performance at school has improved as they are no longer sent home due to fees or not having the necessary school items.”
Reflecting on the farmers’ stories, the Deputy High Commissioner remarked that it was encouraging to hear about how they are able to utilise the additional funds. “You can see how they are working hard to ensure that they positively contribute to the family income.”
