This archive report was first published on 28 December 2019.
December 28, 2019, marked a significant milestone for Fr Ashford Mwebia, a Catholic priest in Nkubu, Tharaka-Nithi County. His mixed farm, located just three kilometers from the town on the Mitunguu road, has been thriving, thanks to his passion for farming and dedication to his community.
Fr Mwebia's journey into farming began when he was made the principal of St Daniel's Boys High School, Tharaka-Nithi County, barely a year after his ordination as a priest. It was during this time that he witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by students from poverty-stricken backgrounds in pursuing their education and basic needs.
Realizing the potential of farming as a means to support these students, Fr Mwebia began by growing bananas. However, he soon discovered that this type of farming was not profitable, as the supply greatly overwhelmed demand. Undeterred, he shifted his focus to dairy and pig farming, which has proven to be a more lucrative venture.
Fr Mwebia's farm is home to 10 dairy cows, which produce an average of 150 liters of milk per day. He sells this milk to the Meru Central Cooperative Society at Sh34 per liter. To maximize production and ensure the right feed concentrate, the priest makes his own dairy meal using raw materials and a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) formula.
One of the key challenges Fr Mwebia faces is fluctuations in feed quality, which can affect milk production. To mitigate this, he has turned to a new fodder preservation technology, dubbed 'Mama Silage Bags,' which helps sweeten the fodder and increase milk production per animal by at least five liters.
Fr Mwebia's farm also boasts 78 pigs, which he began making feeds for after a tragedy hit the farm several years ago. The priest believes that the feed he bought was responsible for the deaths of his 100 pigs. In addition to his dairy and pig farming operations, Fr Mwebia also grows coffee on three acres, sweet potatoes on two acres, and maize on a five-acre piece.
Records on the farm are up-to-date, with activities and details of every animal recorded. Fr Mwebia's cows are tagged, making record-keeping by the farm's two permanent employees easy. The priest's dedication to his farm and community has not gone unnoticed, with some of the students he sponsored going on to become prominent figures in government and private organizations.
