When Jos Creemers arrived to work at Baraka Farm from the Netherlands in 1993, the agricultural sector of Eldoret, Kenya was almost in ruins. Jos has transformed the Farm by focusing on projects that ensure sustainability. With his help, the Baraka Farm has been transformed into a self-sustaining farm that provides food for hundreds daily while also equipping local farmers with tools to benefit their farm production by using the Baraka Farm as a model of sustainability.

Following the end of colonization, large farms were sold and farmer training centers collapsed, resulting in insufficient agricultural training for the younger generations. Corruption of the agricultural sector was prevalent; many farmers were not paid for their produce. Farmers in Eldoret – one of the most fertile regions in Kenya – were struggling to produce crops efficiently and The Baraka Farm, like most farms in the area, needed additional help with crop production.

That’s when Jos stepped in.

Although Mr. Creemers was originally placed at Baraka Farm as a volunteer through the Volunteer Services Overseas Program, he has remained loyal to the Farm and is still working there today nearly 20 years later as the Farm Manager through Bread and Water for Africa® support.

Since Jos first arrived at the Farm almost twenty years ago, he has transformed the Farm and has played a key role in training Kenyan farmers. Jos’ foresight and keen understanding of production efficiency has helped Baraka Farm to flourish so that it can provide food daily for the Lewa Children’s Home, Kipkeino Primary School, and the surrounding Eldoret community.

Jos has transformed the Farm by focusing on projects that ensure sustainability. He has improved livestock production by implementing a milk processing center and has recently helped create a water-harvesting system to collect water during the rainy season that can be used during the dry season, which promises security against the all too common weather upheavals in Kenya. Through diversifying production to include produce, meat, and milk, Jos has helped improve the Farm’s output and income generated from crops which brings the Lewa Children’s Home complex one step closer to self-sufficiency (the ultimate goal for each of Bread and Water for Africa®’s partners) each day. The success of the Baraka Farm has garnered much attention from the local community, and Jos’ methods have also received national attention for their innovation and the way they give back to the local community by supporting local farming efforts.

While crops and milk produced at the Farm benefit hundreds of people directly, Jos helps thousands more through farmer training. Jos hopes that he can help improve agriculture development throughout Kenya through his training efforts that teach modern farming techniques to farmers and aspiring farmers. Jos estimates that at least 1,000 people each year visit his farm for advice, demonstrations, and training. This training and the best practices learned helps other farmers ensure the success of their own farms and will hopefully transform Kenya’s agricultural sector as a whole.

With help from Jos Creemers, the Baraka Farm has been transformed into a self-sustaining farm that provides food for hundreds daily while also equipping local farmers with tools to benefit their farm production by using the Baraka Farm as a model of sustainability.

We are so thankful for the work Jos Creemers does every day to provide sustainable resources for his community!