Agnes Waithera, a Moi University Education graduate, has forged a successful career in farming after unfruitful efforts to secure a white-collar job.

The farmer who started her farming career growing green grams has now diverted to contract groundnut farming because of a guaranteed market and better price for her produce.

Contract farming involves agricultural production being carried out based on an agreement between the buyer and farm producers.

“I have learnt from other farmers, the returns are good and growing the crop is labour intensive, unlike other crops. The company that has contracted me will be buying one kilo of groundnuts at Sh85,” she says.

“If I manage to harvest one ton in an acre, I will be assured of making Sh85,000. So in six acres, that will be almost Sh500,000.”  Added Waithera who grows the crop at her family home in Mata, Taita Taveta.

According to Taita Taveta Agriculture executive Davis Mwangoma, groundnut farming is one of the profitable ventures given the high price, and a farmer can make Sh80,000 from one acre after doing gross margins.

How to grow the most profitable fruit per acre

“A farmer can sell a kilo of groundnuts at Sh87, Sh85 plus an additional bonus of Sh2 and can make up to Sh80,000 per acre. Therefore, a farmer growing five acres can have Sh400,000,” he said.

Mwangoma added that under irrigation, the expenses farmers can put in from irrigation to inputs up to harvesting is an average of Sh20,000.

“We are encouraging farmers to adopt an alternative crop like groundnuts which is suitable and will earn them good money and ensure we have linked farmers with the market. The crop is also good for nitrogen fixation,” Mwangoma said.

If properly done, groundnut farming can be a rewarding venture, given its multiple uses. The nut can be consumed as peanut butter, crushed, and used for the groundnut oil, or consumed as a confectionary snack roasted, salted, or in sweets.

Just like any other crop, groundnuts come in various varieties, including Red Oriata, Manipinta, Makulu Red, Bukene, Homabay, Texas Peanut, Red Valencia, and Atika.

After planting, the crop takes between 85-121 days to reach maturity, depending on the variety.

Although early maturing varieties are more drought resistant or escape the onset of drought, the later maturing varieties are said to have higher yields and larger-sized seeds.