This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
Uasin-Gishu County is known for its maize cultivation, but some farmers are breaking the mold. Isaac Kipkosgei, a 38-year-old former security guard, is one such farmer who has found success in passion fruit farming.
Located about four kilometers from Sogomo trading centre along the Eldoret-Ziwa road, Kapndani village is where Kipkosgei's 0.8-acre farm is situated. The farm is dotted with hundreds of passion fruit plants, neatly arranged on poles and intercropped with beans.
According to Kipkosgei, he was attracted to passion fruit farming due to its good returns. In 2012, he spent Sh2,000 from his salary on seeds and planted 900 passion fruit plants on a parcel of land he got from his father. However, 100 of the plants died, and he was left with 800.
Despite the initial setbacks, Kipkosgei persevered and eventually quit his job in April 2013 to focus on his farm. He started serious farming with a cumulative seed capital of Sh100,000, which he channelled into labour, seeds, poles, wire, and other expenses.
Today, Kipkosgei harvests between 300 and 500 kilogrammes of passion fruit in a week, earning him up to Sh1 million in a season. He sells the fruits to traders from Nairobi and Kampala at between Sh80 and Sh120 per kilogramme.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected demand for his fruits, and he now sells at between Sh40 and Sh70 per kilogramme. Despite the challenges, Kipkosgei remains optimistic about his farm's future.
Josephine Simiyu, manager in charge of Compliance and Regulatory Services at Horticultural Crops Directorate, offers some advice for farmers looking to venture into passion fruit farming. She recommends that farmers should have well-drained, medium-textured loam soils and avoid swampy areas.
Simiyu also advises farmers to carry out soil analysis to ensure the right pH for passion fruit production (5.5-6.5), use certified planting materials, and ensure proper nutrition for the crop as per soil analysis recommendations.
