Tindiret Sub County is undergoing an economic transformation, shifting from scattered subsistence farming to a thriving hub of agribusiness. Today, the region is home to approximately sixty active farmers’ cooperative societies, a network that is reshaping the fortunes of thousands of rural households.
Area Member of Parliament (MP) Julius Melly highlighted this progress during a recent visit to Kapng’endui Farmers’ Cooperative Society, one of the region’s most vibrant groups. Addressing members at the collection centre, Melly lauded the shift toward collective action, noting that cooperatives have become powerful instruments for bargaining and resource pooling.
“When farmers join cooperatives, they stop seeing themselves as isolated producers and begin to act as businesspeople with leverage,” Melly said. He explained that by banding together, farmers can access subsidized inputs, eliminate exploitative middlemen, and negotiate better market prices.
The impact is visible across various sectors, including dairy, maize, and horticulture. In Kapkoros village, for instance, banana growers organized under a cooperative have seen earnings rise steadily, enabling them to invest in better housing and education. This shift from survival farming to enterprise planning is building resilience against market fluctuations.
However, the MP cautioned that numerical growth alone is insufficient. He emphasized that the sustainability of these groups hinges on strict financial discipline. “What counts is governance, transparency, and accountability,” Melly stated. “A cooperative can only deliver if its leadership is trusted.”
Despite the success, challenges persist. Melly acknowledged that some societies struggle with management disputes, delayed payments, and a lack of value-addition facilities, often forcing them to sell raw produce. Infrastructure gaps, particularly in cold storage and transport, continue to hamper full potential.
The legislator outlined a roadmap for the sector, urging cooperatives to move toward processing and packaging to maximize returns. He also called for the intentional inclusion of youth and women in leadership roles to ensure the movement remains inclusive and innovative.
“We are beginning to see households that were purely subsistence becoming small agribusinesses,” Melly noted. “We must now invest in infrastructure and training to ensure this generation succeeds.”
