Saga Farming: Mary Ikigu is an inspiring example of how farm life can be a lucrative and sustainable career choice – with total dedication, innovation, and commitment. From her small plot of land, Mary has gone from farmer to entrepreneur – making thousands a month solely from Saga also known as Saget farming.
This blog post explores her methods, motivation, and advice for aspiring farmers looking to increase their financial security.
You’ll learn about the innovative techniques that have enabled Mary to harvest high profits quickly and gain insight into what it would take to replicate Mary’s success. Ready?
I pick my pension from traditional vegetables
Let’s dig deep into her inspirational story.
Kenya’s rural and urban population regularly consumes spider plants (Cleome gynandra L), a native leafy vegetable. 90% of Kenya’s rural residents live on small plots of land and rely on local green vegetables for flavour. Spider plant has become an everyday staple food consumed by many.
Seeds
Mary saw an opportunity to build her business around this popular vegetable and did so with remarkable success. The Saga seeds go for about Ksh 300 per cup. Mary says that most people shy away from buying certified seeds because of the expense and the difficulty of sourcing them.
Mary says you will need about three to four cups of Saga seeds for half an acre piece of land. You will also need your land appropriately tilled; instead of furrows, you need beds. To make the beds, you need to measure 1½ meters in width; the length will depend on the size of your land.
Manure
After the seedbed is ready, you can come in with your manure. Chicken manure is mostly preferred for the ease of spreading it compared to cow dung. Depending on your land’s size, you can use either a wheelbarrow/cart or a tractor-driven spreader.
After spreading the manure, mix it with lime or ash before sowing the seeds. The seeds are then broadcast and swept gently with tree branches for equal distribution and to ensure the seeds are adequately covered.
You can leave the seeds to germinate and start watering them using a hosepipe, sprinkler, or watering can. You need to ensure that the seeds are watered at least twice daily.
The seeds take about four days to germinate, and the plant grows quickly after germination. It only takes about three weeks to grow to maturity. You must constantly check for pests, weeds, and diseases.
Diseases
Downey Mildew is one of the diseases that affect the spider plant, and it’s essential to attend to any signs or symptoms of this disease promptly.
After the maturity period, which takes about three weeks, you can start harvesting. The spider plant has a long harvest period and produces about four to five harvests per season.
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Now let’s talk money. Mary says there are three markets for the spider plant. They vary depending on the grade of the Saga. Grade 1 goes for about Ksh 80 a Kilo, and grade 3, on the minimum, goes for about Ksh 35. Major buyers are people that process the vegetables, like factories or sometimes hotels.
Mary says the market is there for anyone who wants to venture into Saga farming full-time. You can easily make Ksh 15,000 a month if you pay close attention to the farm and use the right techniques. Quality vegetables will earn you better prices, and the more Saget you produce, the better.
Parting Shot
Mary is an excellent example of how farm life can be a lucrative and sustainable business. She started with a small plot of land and used her farming skills to create a business that significantly boosted her income and improved her financial security.
Her advice and tips are invaluable for ventures into Saga farming. With the proper techniques, hard work, and dedication, you can make 15k from Saga farming.