This archive report was first published on 18 November 2019.
After the 2008 post-election violence, Elijah Mbugua relocated from Eldoret town to his rural home in Nyandarua, where he started growing coriander, popularly known as dhania.
However, his father encouraged him to cultivate fenugreek, or methi, which he initially knew little about.
“Methi is an annual plant in the family Fabaceae. It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop, and its seeds are a common ingredient in dishes but it can also be used as a herb or vegetable,” says Elijah's father.
It was during a shopping trip that Elijah discovered methi, which he later learned was being sold as a strong-smelling herb in a nearby market.
Convinced by his father, Elijah bought methi seedlings for Sh500 and started his venture, which would eventually yield him over Sh50,000 per month from his two-acre piece of land.
Unlike many other herbs, methi thrives in fertile soils and requires organic farming practices, making it pest-free and ideal for crowd farming.
Currently, Elijah sells his methi products to hotels and during exhibitions, with a 100-gram pack of methi seedlings going for Sh100.
He urges farmers to venture into methi farming, citing the high demand and potential for export, and is looking to expand his farm to enter the export market.
