Samwel Mola’s farm at Urudi in Nyakach, Kisumu County has become a case study for prospective growers seeking to venture into commercial farming. Ever since it was established three years ago, some residents of the drier parts of Nyakach have visited it to seek expertise on how to effectively shift from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation.
The farm is a modest affair and when Mola started out, he began with a Sh180,000 greenhouse and purchased seedlings worth Sh8,000. From the greenhouse, Mola harvests 300 kilogrammes of tomatoes every week. With a kilo selling at Sh50, he makes Sh15,000 from his four greenhouses, translating to Sh60,000 monthly. “The quarter acre land parcel we purchased has become a success. My farm now serves hotels and households throughout Nyakach, with the surplus making its way to markets in Kisumu and other parts of the country,” he says.