For a fact, a sizeable portion of Kenyan citizens have faced unemployment in recent months as the nation grapples with tough economic conditions and high costs of living.
While others continue to look for jobs, some Kenyans have opted for self-employment, particularly agribusiness where returns are always guaranteed despite prevailing challenges.
Peter Marwa stands among the numerous Kenyan graduates who have embraced the agribusiness sector. The 30-year-old graduated from Kisii University with a Bachelor of Finance in 2018.
He decided to try his luck in Hola, Tana River County tarmacking in search of a job. His efforts proved futile, pushing him to explore opportunities within his immediate environment to create a livelihood.
Marwa began his farming journey on an available piece of land with irrigation facilities. The land was part of the Hola Irrigation Scheme, the country’s oldest scheme, established in 1953.
Ever since Marwa got into farming, he has been able to sustain himself solely and has never turned back looking for employment. His farm predominantly produces horticultural crops such as watermelons, onions and groundnuts.
His farm is situated in Area 6 of the Hola Irrigation Scheme. Within the land, he has cultivated over 12 acres of onions and harvests more than 10 tonnes each season.
During a past farm visit, Marwa disclosed that he had initially planned to cultivate 15 acres of onions.
“I used about 15 kilos of onion seeds in the nursery, but the 2021 October-November-December short rains eroded some of the seedlings. Instead of planting 15 acres, I ended up doing 12 acres under onions,” he said.
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Despite the setback of scaling down 3 acres, Marwa considered it a loss as he had spent Sh. 6,000 to purchase a kilo of onion seeds. However, this did not keep him from making money.
From the harvest of about 10,000 kilos of onions, Marwa always expects to make slightly over Sh. 1 million in sales. He, however, incurs a few expenses related to farm management.
His cost of production is Sh. 50,000 per acre inclusive of water charges of Sh. 3,400 each season, as well as the costs of labour and chemicals.
Pest and weed control is presently the largest hurdle in Marwa’s farming journey.
The presence of thrips, which are highly destructive onion pests, is a major concern. Additionally, he has to combat pests such as nematodes, onion flies, stem and bulb eelworms.
“I end up spending a lot of money on controlling weeds and the thrips. Though I must say the returns are good, especially when there is a shortage of onions,” he disclosed.
Marwa primarily sells his onions in the local markets in Nairobi and Hola. At the farm, he sells a kilo at Sh. 100 and in the market, it goes for Sh. 120.
“Already, local traders have started coming to buy onions in the farm. I am selling a kilo at Sh. 100 at the farm gate and Sh. 120 in the market,” Peter Marwa added.