This document outlines a project to economically empower women in Kirinyaga County, Kenya by reducing fruit waste and increasing value addition of fruits. The project aims to increase incomes of rural women, reduce fruit waste during peak seasons, and promote value addition of available fruits like tomatoes, mangoes, bananas and avocados. Key activities include confirming markets, mobilizing community groups, training women on fruit processing and preservation techniques, acquiring processing equipment, and training on equipment usage. The expected results are reduced fruit waste, increased incomes for rural women, enhanced bargaining power over prices, and increased fruit consumption.

1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF
WOMEN IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY-KENYA
VISION
• EMPOWERED WOMEN ABLE TO MAXIMISE
THE USE OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES IN A
SUSTAINABLE MANNER

2. BACKGROUND
• Kirinyaga county lies in Mt. Kenya region and very
productive in a variety of fruits
• The poor rural women are often the ones
involved in small scale agriculture and thus
production of the fruits. In the recent past they
have been able to increase production of fruits (
tomatoes, mangoes, bananas, avocados)
tremendously
• Unfortunately during the pick season most of the
fruits go to waste and fetch very low prices
• There is need to reduce the fruits going to waste

3. OBJECTIVEs
• To increase poor rural women incomes
• To reduce the quantity of fruits going to waste
• Promote value addition of available fruits

4. ACTORS
• The Department of Social Development
(County and National)
• The Ministry of Cooperatives
• UTaNRMP
• Administration
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Community members/Groups

5. STRATEGIC ACTIONS
• Confirming market - Dec – Jan 15th
• Mobilization and awareness creation among
groups end Feb
• Registration/ renewal of groups - End March
• Training on value addition (Fruits
processing/preservation) -by End April-
• Acquiring of processing equipment –May-June
• Training on equipment usage - July

6. RESULTS
• Reduced fruit wastage
• Increased incomes for the rural women
• Enhanced bargaining power and maintain
better prices
• Increased fruit consumption

7. THE END