At the heart of Kathonzweni in Makueni county lies the farm of Amos Muange a man who has converted the dry lands of Kathonzweni into a money-minting trough.
After years of working as a coffee barista in the city, Muange decided to explore opportunities in other areas and settled on farming.
He started as a dairy farmer before diverting into growing fruits. His orchard hosts sweet pixie oranges, mangoes, and banana plants that capture your attention from a distance.
To ensure a constant supply of water on his farm, Muange has heavily invested in a water system. He sank a shallow well that uses a solar system to pump water to his fruit trees.
In a season, which is between June and August, he harvests 25 tonnes and sells a tonne at Sh 20,000. Around December, he harvests between 5 to 7 tonnes for the second season.
On a good harvest, Muange says he earns close to Ksh500,000 from oranges only. Besides selling oranges, Muange sells milk from his four cows which produce 8-10 liters per day.
His success in dairy farming has been helped by joining a cooperative that has not only boosted his earnings but also provided him with a ready market for his produce.
He also has access to loans that have helped him expand his venture to fruit farming which offers far better returns.
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On a very good season, Muange says his cows produce close to 40 liters which he sells at Sh 50 per liter. This means he pockets Sh 2,000 per day and Sh 60,000 per month from milk.
He noted that changing weather patterns sometimes affect normal production affecting the earnings. Muange grows fodder to feed the dairy cows all year round, this helps him reduce production costs. He targets to produce 400 liters of milk per day.
”I have, however, established a fodder bank, where I prepare the fodder in advance. I desire to grow more fodder for my cows,” he said.
