Start value-adding activities and start doing business.

Manyakabi Area Cooperative Enterprise (MACE), registered as a cooperative in 2004, is a result of several mergers of different women groups over the years. The number of members is 8.016, divided in 400 male members and 7.616 female individual members. The members are part of 28 Rural producer Organisations (RPOs). MACE is active in the bulking and marketing of maize and beans. In addition, it has a small input shop, where members can procure seeds and fertilizers. As an additional service, MACE has a Market Information Centre where members can use computer facilities to contact extension workers. The action plan for 2016 will be small and focussed. In 2015 Agriterra invested in giving 2 trainings to Manyakabi (Governance and setting up a farmer led extension system). These resulted in several actions. To execute these actions Manyakabi needs budget, which is taken into account in the action plan 2016. Futhermore 2016 is the year of start adding value and start the business. For this it is crucial to recruit a good business manager. This is also taken into account. The goals for 2016 are: - follow up on the governance training and the workshop on setting up a farmer led extension service - recruiting a business manager to substantially increase business activity - making the maize milling machine operational - increase market access