This archive report was first published on 7 August 2020.
Monica Mwangi's farming journey began unexpectedly, after the real estate sector was hit by Covid-19 in 2020. At the time, she was a telephone farmer, growing garlic on one acre, expecting to make Sh800,000.
However, the venture turned out to be a total loss, with Monica harvesting 4,000 kilos of garlic but struggling to find a market for the produce. She sold only 10 kilos at between Sh120 and Sh130, and the rest shrivelled in the store.
Undeterred, Monica turned to farming full-time and began growing broccoli, spinach, onions, cucumbers, and beetroot on her five-acre farm in Ragati, Nyeri County. She credits her success to market research, which revealed that broccoli was in high demand in restaurants and hotels in Nanyuki, Laikipia, and Meru.
Monica worked with an agricultural expert to ensure everything went right, from seedlings propagation to transplanting. She also sourced water from River Ragati for irrigation and employed reliable workers to help with the farm work.
Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, Monica's crops have done well, with broccoli and spinach being the most profitable. She harvests 400-600 kilos of spinach every 10 days, selling each kilo for Sh10. Cucumbers and beetroot are also selling well, with the former going for Sh80 and the latter for Sh100.
Monica's advice to aspiring farmers is to have a steady market, a reliable source of water, and not to rush into agribusiness. She also warns of the pests and diseases that can affect broccoli, including aphids and blight.
