At the heart of Njoro, Nakuru County, sits a quarter-acre herb farm owned by Sarah Nyambura, a farmer who is experiencing great success in the less exploited venture.

The farmer discovered the highly profitable venture after years of losses in cabbage and Tomato farming.

Nyambura notes that her initial agribusiness was not only less profitable but also labour-intensive compared to herb farming.

From a quarter-acre of cabbages, she would make around Sh20,000 in three months, while she makes more than double the amount from mint on a similar-sized plot in two weeks.

She grows various medicinal and culinary herbs, including thyme, Chia, Rosemary, Basil, mints, Sage, Marjoram, Gooseberry, and Oregano.

“Initially, I grew the herbs for home consumption. I used to sell them to my neighbours who would use them to spice and dress foodstuffs such as rice, fish, stews, chicken and tea,” she says.

According to her, herbs are easy to manage with most of them reaching maturity between three to five months.

She notes that after maturity, one can continuously harvest after one or two weeks, with a kilo of the produce going for between Sh220 to Sh800.

Irene Muchimba a nutritionist says that herb farming is a venture that is yet to be exploited, yet it can create employment and income, especially for young people.

She says that the farming is simple, less capital and labour-intensive, and lucrative as long as the farmer is well prepared.

For instance, she notes that thyme fetches about Sh800 per kilogram in the international market, with the main market being within the European Union (EU), while a kilogram of the other herbs fetches about Sh394 in the export market.

She encourages farmers to try the venture to address the high market demand in Russia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

“Demand for our herbal crops peaks up in the European market from October to March during winter. We advise our farmers to increase their volumes during this period,” explains Ms Muchimba.

Muchimba further advises people intending to venture into herbs farming to seek partnerships with the European Union and United National Industrial Development Organization (Unido) funded Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP), which aims to promote markets for produce, including herbs, internationally.

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In dairy farming, the type of breed a farmer chooses to keep matters a lot as it determines the amount of milk produced as well as the revenue generated.

In Kenya, there are different dairy breeds to choose from, including Ayrshire, Jersey, Guernsey, and Friesian.

While Friesian is the most popular breed in Kenya due to its high milk production and adaptability, some farmers prefer Jersey cows owing to their superior characteristics.

Jersey, a breed of small short-horned dairy cows is said to be the easiest cow to manage compared to other popular breeds.

Peter Ndung’u, the farm manager at Acacia Veld Breeders says the animals are ideal for dry areas due to their tolerance to harsh climatic conditions.

The animals also consume much less food, making them ideal for small-scale livestock farmers. At Acacia Veld Breeders, the maximum feed consumed by the highest feeding cow which weighs 460kgs, is 14kgs per day.

The cows feed on silage which accounts for 75 percent of the total feed consumed, 20 percent protein sourced from lucern and sweet potato vines, and 5 percent fibre from good quality hay. They also get some minerals including salt supplements and dairy meal.

Ndung’u adds that Jerseys are the most efficient breed at converting solid feeds to milk. His farm which hosts 13 Jersey cows produces 140 litres of milk daily with the highest producing cow giving 22 litres of milk per day.

”Currently we are milking 10 animals which are in different production stages; some cows are in-calf, some are almost drying, while others are in early gestation,’’ he explained.

According to the Jersey Cattle Society of Kenya, Jersey milk has more fat than most other cattle breeds. The average protein in Jersey milk is 30 percent more than in Fresian milk.

It also has 40 percent more butterfat and 35 percent more calories, making it the best for such byproducts as cheese, yoghurt, and butter.

Unlike many dairy farmers who use sawdust in cows’ sleeping areas, Ndung’u uses cow mattresses which he says are easy to clean and disinfect.

He notes that while sawdust can be warmer, it attracts diseases such as mastitis especially when wet. Ndung’u has one word for anyone intending to venture into dairy farming.

”Going by what is happening with the weather and the cost of feeds, most people have given up. So in case you are planning to do dairy farming you better focus on it. Don’t give up! Agriculture is the way to go!,” He said.

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The Government has announced a 50 per cent reduction in the price of certified maize seed and a further cut in the cost of subsidised fertiliser as it moves to cushion farmers from drought-related losses and sustain food production.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the Government will absorb half the cost of certified maize seed, reducing the price paid by farmers from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme.

The intervention will see the price of a 2kg packet fall from Sh600 to Sh300, while a 10kg pack will retail at Sh1,500, down from Sh3,000. A 25kg pack will similarly cost Sh3,750 instead of Sh7,500.

The Government will also lower the price of a 50kg bag of subsidised fertiliser from Sh2,500 to Sh2,000.

The subsidy is expected to cost the Government an estimated Sh6 billion and will cover about 40 million kilogrammes of maize seed. Kagwe said farmers will obtain the subsidised inputs through Government-designated distribution channels.

The move follows President William Ruto’s announcement that the price of maize seed would be cut by half from September 2026, as the administration intensifies its shift from subsidising consumption to supporting agricultural production.

The strategy seeks to reduce the cost of farm inputs, improve productivity and strengthen the country’s food security by enabling farmers to produce more at lower cost.

The Government has already significantly reduced fertiliser prices under the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme. In 2022, a 50kg bag retailed at about Sh7,500 before being reduced to Sh2,500 through the subsidy programme.

Since the programme began, about 33.55 million 50kg bags of subsidised fertiliser have been distributed to approximately 1.98 million farmers, with Government support estimated at Sh78.79 billion.

The interventions have coincided with a significant increase in maize production. National output rose from 34.3 million 90kg bags in 2022 to 73 million bags in 2025, while maize imports fell by more than 66.5 per cent over the same period.

Despite the gains, the Government is preparing for possible supply pressures arising from drought and other climate-related challenges that have affected production in key maize-growing areas.

The Government has announced plans to import 25 million 90kg bags of maize to bridge an anticipated deficit and guard against shortages.

Kagwe said on August 19 that arrangements for the imports had already been put in place, assuring Kenyans that the Government was taking measures to safeguard national food security despite the prevailing production challenges.

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