Kisii: Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (Saccos) in Kisii county have been told to adopt technology in order to attract and retain young members. Speaking during the Wakenya Pamoja Sacco’s Annual Delegates Meeting at the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre on the outskirts of Kisii town, the Kisii County Executive for Agriculture, Elijah Obwori, emphasized that Saccos need to modernize their operations to stay competitive and relevant among the youth who prefer digital platforms for their farming activities.
According to Kenya News Agency, Obwori highlighted that young people have embraced farming and require access to loans to purchase farm equipment and expand their agricultural businesses. He encouraged Saccos to use technology to simplify these processes. Additionally, Obwori praised Wakenya Pamoja Sacco for financing farmers in various value chains, including coffee, bananas, avocados, and pyrethrum, noting the support had contributed to the expansion of pyrethrum growing in the county.
Cyrus Nyabicha, from the Department of Environment, who also attended the event, emphasized the crucial role that Saccos play in providing farmers with access to loans at low interest rates. Nyabicha urged residents to take advantage of these credit institutions and save to earn higher interests and improve their livelihoods.
Wakenya Pamoja Sacco Society Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Isaac Omwenga, expressed gratitude to the county government for creating an enabling environment for the Sacco’s operations. Omwenga noted that they had introduced new products in the market to strengthen the institution, attract young people, and increase the Sacco’s membership to 150,000 next year. He stressed the importance of engaging the youth through educational initiatives and meetings to include them in the Sacco.
