The indigenous leafy vegetables have recently gained immense popularity in Kenya, with consumers realizing their nutritional value.

This has presented an opportunity for farmers to make an income even though the agribusiness still remains overlooked.

Christopher Angote, 48, from Munungo village in Emuhaya Constituency, in Vihiga is one of the farmers earning big from indigenous vegetables as demand continues to skyrocket.

His farm hosts various species, including African nightshades, leafy amaranth, spider plant, cowpeas, Ethiopian kale, mitoo(Rattle Pod), Jute plant, and pumpkin leaves.

“I have over 35 acres of land under agriculture, out of which 10.5 acres of land is mine that I bought from the proceeds of selling vegetables and 24.5 acres is leased. I also have 32 dairy cows that I acquired from the venture,” Angote told The Standard.

He notes that the market for the vegetables is big locally, and demand is usually at its peak during dry seasons.

“The market for African leafy vegetables is very big. I sell it locally to vegetable vendors who take it to major towns in the country. I make between Sh15,000 – Sh25,000 per day through the year from selling vegetables,” he said.

“During dry seasons, ‘that’s when I make good money because of irrigation. At the time, other farmers don’t have what to sell and to fill the gap, they too become my clients,” he added.

Wycliffe Ngoda, another farmer in the region, acknowledged the profitability of indigenous vegetables, noting that he makes up to Sh10,000 per day.

“I make between Sh3000 – Sh10 000 per day which is depended on the season. Prices of vegetables in Vihiga are higher like in any other town, and during the months of December, January, February, July, and early August, it’s when we make abnormal profits when the area experiences short stints of dry seasons,” said Mr Ngoda.

He added that they sell a 90-kilo bag of pumpkin leaves for Sh8,000, while mitoo, kunde, nderema, suja, mrenda and kanzira goes for Sh5,000.

Vihiga County Executive Committee Member in charge of Agriculture, Nicholas Kitungulu, says the estimated turnover from African leafy vegetables in the county averages six tonnes per acre per year, producing 600 metric tonnes valued at Sh3 billion per growing season.

“Majority of the farmers have at least half an acre piece of land, and they sell on average Sh2,000 to Sh10 000 per day depending on the size of the farm.

The highest recorded output is in Emuhaya for a farmer who sells on average about Sh25,000 per day during peak season,” he said.