Jacinta Ngina, a former banker who is now a French beans farmer in Ngoliba Kiambu County, has more than tripled her monthly income after adopting a technique that allows her to sell her produce only when the market is available.
Ngina, who started farming about four years ago, could not make any profit due to a lack of ready market. For a start, she invested Sh400,000 of her savings and loans to lease an acre of land and invest in farm inputs.
She harvested her first produce after 45 days, but lack of market saw her sell at a throwaway price, making only Sh24,000.
This prompted her to find ways to increase her income, thanks to training by horticultural and chemical companies in Thika, which provided Ngina with the opportunity to network and attract new clients.
Today, she has expanded her venture and grows different crops, including tomatoes, French beans, and baby corn. The French beans are grown at different stages to ensure constant supply in the market.
How to farm and export french beans to Europe profitably
“I get an average of Sh150,000 from an acre of French beans a month, which is my profit,” said Ngina.
She harvests an average of 2,000kg of French beans a month and sells at between Sh50 and Sh180 per kilo, depending on demand.
The French beans and baby corn are mainly for export, while the tomatoes are sold locally with a crate fetching between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000. From an acre of tomato, Ngina makes about Sh40,000 monthly.
“Farming needs some knowledge and passion. I do not have a background in agriculture, but I have a passion for learning and farming. This has helped me meet many challenges, including erratic weather,” says the 36-year-old.
“Sometimes clients fail to honour their promise to buy produce even after they agreed before the planting season.” She adds.
Her farming skills have seen her bag an award from the Ministry of Agriculture and Elgon Kenya for being the top young farmer in Murang’a County.
