Margaret Kumbe is a smallholder farmer from Kenya who works passionately and dedicatedly to improve the lives of her community. She leads 14 groups, each representing a village community, consisting of between 25 and 30 members. This means she trains more than 400 farmers on Bayer products and food production, particularly corn cultivation. 

Before her collaboration with Bayer and the CGA (Commercial Grain Association), Margaret was solely a sweet potato producer, and her corn harvests fell far short of expectations. Today, her harvest has significantly improved: "Now I harvest maize, and hunger is no longer a problem in my household," she says proudly.

This support has also enabled Margaret to educate her children. "Both have graduated from university, thanks to the products from the farm and the sale of the harvest," she explains. In addition to corn cultivation, she is also involved in the aggregation of corn and agricultural inputs. From her perspective, proper management of planting areas and the correct spacing when planting are crucial.

Through her training, Margaret teaches farmers how to reduce costs while producing a large quantity of food and surpluses for sale. She also introduces VSLA groups (Village Savings and Loan Associations), where members contribute a specific amount of money to a common fund each week. "Each farmer contributes 30 Bob," she says. When they are willing to undertake agricultural activities, they can borrow money from the common fund. After repayment, the interest is shared among the members.

Margaret Kumbe is a shining example of how a dedicated smallholder farmer can not only improve her own quality of life but also that of her community. "I only want to see a society without hunger, a society that is sustainable with food, a society where women are empowered because of a household with food," she concludes.