Celebrating a Legacy of Change DMDP Programme Closeout: Five Years of Impact, Innovation & Hope in Taveta

On 23rd October 2025, MESPT and its partners gathered in Taita Taveta to mark the closure of the Danida Market Development Partnerships (DMDP) Programme, a five-year journey that reshaped the banana subsector and the lives of thousands of farming households. Funded by DANIDA and implemented jointly with ORANA A/S, Wanda Agricultural Group (WAG), and the County Government of Taita Taveta, the programme went beyond targets, it restored dignity, income, and possibility to farmers who once felt invisible in the marketplace. Over the past half-decade, transformation has been both measurable and deeply human:

• Household incomes increased by 62%, allowing families to meet basic needs with dignity.
• Post-harvest losses dropped by 85%, saving farmers from the heartbreak of watching their hard work go to waste.
• 2,197 farmers were connected to structured buyers, unlocking predictable and fair markets.
• 398 new jobs emerged within the value chain through improved production, aggregation, composting, fibre extraction, and eco-packaging solutions.
• Over 2,000 farmers trained in Responsible Business Conduct, planting the seeds of ethical, sustainable agribusiness for generations.

Stories That Move Us

For many farmers, the programme did more than introduce sustainable good agricultural practices, it changed their lives.

“We had bananas, but no one to buy them,” recalled Rose Dawa. For years, she endured exploitative brokers who dictated prices, leaving her with barely enough for food and school fees. Today, Rose stands proudly as a commercially connected farmer who can negotiate, plan, and invest.

Similarly, Penina Mshabaha, once limited by traditional farming methods, shared how tissue culture technology changed her productivity and income. “We didn’t know about tissue culture seedlings… now our yields and quality speak for us,” she said with pride. These voices illuminate what the data proves, empowerment works.

Partners Who Dared to Dream Bigger

For ORANA A/S Director Niels Osterberg, the project represents a historic milestone for the continent: “The organic cluster is close to my heart because we have done something that has not been done in Africa. Thank you MESPT for helping us do it.” ORANA and WAG invested over DKK 25 million to advance circular economy innovations, from composting to fibre extraction and bio-organic fertilizer production, achieving 100% waste conversion in their commercial farms.

A Shared Commitment to the Future

MESPT CEO Rebecca Amukhoye emphasized what true success means: “Real success in development is not about staying forever, it is about communities continuing to thrive long after you’ve moved on.”

Taita Taveta Governor, H.E. Dr. Andrew Mwadime, affirmed the county’s commitment to sustain this progress: “Farmers, while partners support us, you must also play your part. As a county, we are ready to walk this journey with you.”

As the programme concludes, its legacy is unmistakable, stronger value chains, greener production systems, empowered households, and a community ready to shape its own destiny.