Adding cow to dairy farming business
Benson
Ciondo Road, Engineer, Kenya
100% repaid
Entrepreneur
Name
Benson
Member since
September 2013
On-time repayments
392 installments • 61%
About Me
My names are Benson Kaniu Karanja, and I was born in the year 1978 in Kiambu County of the central Province in Kenya. I went to Kirangari High school for my KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education). After my KCSE, I joined Kabete Technical Training Institute in Nairobi where I graduated with a diploma in Laboratory Technology. I am married with two children.
I have worked with CAIS as a laboratory technician for 3 years, where we were dealing with production of bull semen and selling it to farmers for artificial insemination, so I have experience in dairy management and generally agriculture production.
My Business
Besides working as a laboratory technician at Muruaki Secondary School, I am a farmer specializing in dairy farming in Kinangop. I also grow wide range of cash crops like potatoes, peas, carrots and cabbages. I am also a member of Tulaga farmers SACCO, where we sell our milk and get paid at the end of the month. Kinangop is endowed with weather that favours production of such cash crops and customers come as far as Nairobi.
My income per month ranges from Ksh. 8,000 (USD $90) to Ksh. 13,000 (USD $140). After deducting expenses, it amounts to sh 6000 ($70) per month as net income that I add to my salary at my work place for family upkeep and payment of school fees.
I intend to borrow a Zidisha loan to increase my farming activities with the help of my wife, who is a housewife. With this Zidisha loan, I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meter from the Turasha River which, though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during the coming dry spell. This will put me at an advantage, as I will not rely mostly on unpredictable weather. I also want to plant more feeder crops for my cows to boost milk production.
From my workplace I have net income of Ksh. 14,000 (USD $150) and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. We are approaching closure of schools, and I don’t work during the holidays, so I will be in a position to set the ball rolling and, furthermore, this will be close to two months. I also don’t work during weekends (i.e, Saturdays). Therefore, I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project.
I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops, particularly vegetables and cabbages, which have ready market due to their ever-increasing demand. When prices go down, I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.
Loan Proposal
Dear lenders, with my fourth loan, I want to add another dairy cow to increase my production.
Currently I am producing 12kg, which I use 2kg for home consumption and sell 10kg to the Tulaga farmers cooperative society at a cost of ksh 35 per kg, tabulating to ksh 350 per day. (The information above pertains the cow in the picture.)
If I add a dairy cow, I am targeting milk production of 20kg for sale per day. This tabulates to ksh 21,000 per month minus ksh 6000 production cost: ksh 15,000 profit is left. The operating cost is minimal, as my wife is a housewife, doing most of the chores except during the weeding and planting season. During this time, we engage casual labourers who are readily available, I don’t go to work over the weekend, helping my wife with farm work.
Currently I am working as a lab technician at Muruaki Boys Secondary, earning ksh 15000 per month. In addition, I have an irrigation project, for which, thanks to Zidisha, I was able to buy a pump. I am currently able to irrigate ½ acre of land comfortably. Mostly I plant kales and cabbages, which I earn a minimum profit of ksh 2,000 per week, up to a maximum of ksh 8,000 during a dry spell.
The cost of buying the dairy cow is ksh 55,000 (USD $600), the rest I will buy concentrate. With the above income, I will comfortably pay the loan. This project helps me pay for the secondary school education of my first-born child, who is in class seven, better still increasing family income. Once again, I thank you lenders for your financial support as you fund my loan.
About Me
Am a farmer in kinangop, went through my early Primary education Limuru where the family later transferred to Kinangop. I later joined joined secondary school for my KCSE. After my KCSE, I joined college in Nairobi where I enrolled for a diploma course. I do have experience in dairy management and generally agriculture production.
My Business
Besides workings ,am a farmer specializing in dairy farming in Kinangop. I also grow wide range of cash crops like potatoes, peas, carrots and cabbages. I belong to Tulaga farmers SACCO where we sell our milk and get paid at the end of the month.
Collections or income per month range from Ksh. 8000 to ksh 13,000 per month. its wholly depend on weather condition as when we have a lot of rain the production of both livestock and crop is high thus increase in income,the challenges we encounter are the preservation of fodder to have milk throughout the year.this will enhance and increase milk production in my farm.
Loan Proposal
Dear lenders with my fourth loan, I want to add another dairy cow to increase my production currently am producing 12kg which I use 2kg for home consumption and sell 10kg to Tulaga farmers cooperative society at a cost of ksh 35 per kg tabulating to ksh 350 per day(the information above pertains the cow in the picture).if I add a dairy cow, am targeting milk production of 20kg for sale per day this tabulate to ksh 21000 per month less ksh 6000 production cost, ksh15000 profit is left. operting cost is minimal as my wife is house wife doing most of the chores except during the weeding and planting season. During this time we engage casual labourers who are readily available, I don’t go to work over the weekend thus help my wife in farm work. Currently am working as a lab technician at muruaki boys secondary earning ksh 15000 per month.in addition I have an irrigation project which thanks to zidisha I was able to buy a pump. currently am able to irrigate ½ acre of land comfortably. mostly I plant kales and cabbages which I earn aprofit of minimum ksh 2000 per week upto amaximum of ksh 8000 during dry spell. The cost of buying the dairy cow is ksh 55000,the rest I will buy concentrate. With the above income I will comfortably pay the loan. this project help me cater for secondary school education of my first born child who is in class seven, better still increasing family income. Once again I thank you lenders for your financial support as u fund my loan.
Feedback
Positive
9
Neutral
None
Negative
None
Loan Info
Project Type
Classic Loan
Disbursed amount
$640.00
Date disbursed
Feb 23, 2015
Repayment status
On Time
Projected term
11 months
Other loans
Lenders
North Carolina, United States
Liminka, Finland
Germany
Belfast, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United States
Ellesmere Port, United Kingdom
Sweden
United States
Ask Benson a question about this project, share news and photos of your own, or send a simple note of thanks or inspiration.
SammyGeorge Jun 2, 2017
Loading...