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Kenyan farms that supply a British-based chain of supermarkets, Waitrose, will receive a Sh11.4 million (£88,000) support to cushion them against the current Covid-19 pandemic.

The assistance is part of the Waitrose & Partners Foundation emergency response fund totalling £200,000 (Sh26 million) launched to support vulnerable suppliers in Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia and Costa Rica.  Waitrose sells groceries as part of UK’s largest employee-owned retailer. 

According to Farm Africa, project co-coordinator in Kenya, Peter Ndung’u, the pandemic has hit Kenyan farm workers hard.

“The funding will help farm workers to safely implement social distancing and gain access to essential services for their families,” he  said.

The beneficiaries are Flamingo Mt Kenya, Flamingo Naivasha, Oserian, Kenya Horticultural Exporters (KHE), Tambuzi, Ravine and Simbi Roses.

The money will help develop farmworker’s  healthcare and sanitation measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.  

 It will also be used to improve workers’ access to essential services such as childcare and support those on reduced earnings through food packages.

In Kenya, workers at Ravine Roses and members of the wider community benefited from installation of solar street lighting for their own security.  

The streetlights are used daily by 1,000  to 1, 500 community members and local shops, with the community reporting increased security and longer working hours. 

The Food and Grocery Director at Waitrose, Rupert Thomas said the pandemic poses the greatest humanitarian and economic threat of the current generation.

“We must continue to look at ways we can help to protect people and their livelihoods during this time,” he added.  

Tor Harris, Head of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing, said the foundation was expanding benefits to 12 more countries this year.