Gatundu North avocado farmers move to break grip of middlemen, boost earnings

Avocado farmers in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, are launching a determined push to reclaim control over their produce and profits after years of losses attributed to entrenched networks of middlemen dominating the avocado value chain.

For decades, growers across Kenya have contended with a system that leaves them earning only a fraction of the crop’s true value, while brokers and exporters capture the lion’s share of revenue. Today, most farmers sell a single avocado for between Ksh.5 and Ksh.10.

Yet by the time that same fruit reaches international shelves, it sells for between Sh300 and Sh500, depending on the market — a stark illustration of the disparities created by intermediaries and farmers’ limited access to global buyers.

Despite bearing the full cost of planting, nurturing, and harvesting the fruit, producers remain at the bottom of the value chain, with middlemen reaping the largest returns from the lucrative export industry.

In response, growers in Gatundu North have begun organising under the Ashindi Kiambu Community Association (AKCO), a community-led movement designed to empower farmers through collective action.

The association intends to form a corporate society that will strengthen farmers’ bargaining power, reduce reliance on brokers, and secure fairer prices.

AKCO has already launched a widespread seedling-planting campaign as part of a long-term plan to increase production and lay the groundwork for future agro-processing ventures in the region.

Their vision includes establishing processing plants capable of producing high-value avocado products such as oil, cosmetics, and food items that attract stronger returns both locally and abroad.

The initiative, led by farmer David Ngugi, is rooted in the belief that unity is the only sustainable path toward ending persistent exploitation in the sector. By forming a cooperative structure, the farmers aim to streamline sales, minimise losses, and stabilise household incomes.