Cak Benchmarking Visit: Lessons From A Japanese Farmers Market
By Fred Aminga Tuesday, 29th September 2026
Photo courtesy: CAK
As part of the CAK visit to Japan, the delegation visited a local agricultural farm and farmers’ market in Nagano, a region renowned for quality agricultural production and strong links between farmers and consumers.
The model offers an important lesson for Kenya’s cooperative movement: farmers do not necessarily have to depend entirely on long and complicated marketing chains to reach consumers.
Here, locally produced farm products are sold directly to consumers, creating a shorter and more efficient link between production and the market. Japan’s agricultural cooperatives and local marketing systems have developed numerous direct-sales outlets that connect producers with consumers while promoting fresh, locally produced food.
For Kenya, the takeaway is clear. Cooperatives can do more than aggregate farmers’ produce. They can become strong market-linkage institutions by establishing farmers’ markets, cooperative-owned retail outlets, collection centres, branded shops and even digital platforms where consumers can buy directly from producers.
Such a model can help farmers secure better markets, reduce unnecessary intermediaries, improve traceability and give consumers greater confidence about where their food comes from.
The Nagano experience also demonstrates the importance of adding value close to the farmer. Fresh produce can be complemented by processed and branded products, creating additional income opportunities while strengthening local agricultural economies.
For the Kenyan cooperative movement, the message from Japan is simple: produce is only valuable when there is a market for it. Cooperatives must therefore move beyond production and become active players in marketing, value addition and consumer engagement.
The future of Kenyan cooperatives should be about putting the farmer closer to the consumer—and ensuring more of the value created along the chain returns to the farmer.