This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
From Deejaying to Onion Farming ¶
As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the country, many people were forced to find alternative sources of income. For Alex Gatheru, a Nairobi-based DJ known as DJ Leqs, this meant turning to his second passion – farming.
With entertainment spots closed, Gatheru decided to fully transition into farming. He had previously grown various crops as a telephone farmer in Gatarakwa, Kieni constituency, but now he was determined to make a living from the land.
His farm, which spans one acre inherited from his parents and three leased acres, hosts a variety of crops including maize, napier grass, and onions. Gatheru's onion farm is particularly thriving, with three varieties of onions – garlic, bulb, and spring – being grown on the land.
According to Gatheru, the beauty of onion growing is that they take three to four months to mature. He harvests about five tonnes of garlic and seven to eight tonnes of spring onion, which he sells at a good price. The DJ also produces 20-25 tonnes of bulb onions, which are currently going for at least Sh100 per kilo.
For a good harvest, Gatheru goes for hybrid seeds and prepares a nursery bed with manure before planting the seeds. He then transfers the seedlings to an already tilled farm for planting, spacing the plants 15cm apart. He also practices crop rotation to curb diseases and for better yields.
With the pandemic having restricted imports, the market for onions is currently favourable. Gatheru takes advantage of this by using social media to market his produce and personally ferrying the onions for sale in Nyeri. He is also contracted as a supplier by some hotels in the county.
When asked to choose between deejaying and farming, Gatheru says he cannot because he loves both. He has a plan for both, doing deejaying on weekends and at night, and visiting the farm during weekdays.
John Wambugu, an agronomist at Wambugu Agricultural Training Centre in Nyeri, notes that farmers should consider the crop calendar before planting onions. He also emphasizes the importance of having a market for the produce and proper infrastructure to transport it to buyers.
Wambugu adds that the pandemic has proved that farmers are key essential service providers. He suggests that farmers consider growing fast-maturing crops such as leafy vegetables and spices to get income faster.
