Farm equipment for my fruit & vegetable farm

Entrepreneur

About Me

I am Serfina Mikobia, I was born in Kwabwai village of Ndhiwa Sub County in Western part of Kenya. I was the 3rd born in a family of 8 children. My father was a peasant farmer while my mother was an housewife. My father passed away when I was 12 years old. After his death, we were left partial orphans and since my mother didn't have gainful employment or steady income, I dropped from school and got married at a very young age (15 years) as a 1st wife. We stayed with my husband and life was really difficult as poverty and lack was the order of the order.

With eight children and no food to feed them with I started a small food farm behind the house, this farm grew and I had to sale off surplus food to neighbours. This is how my current farming business began in my backyard.

Mbita is a fishing community in the shores of lake Victoria, men are fishermen while women are mainly fish mongers. I love watching boat racing ,swimming and meeting new people.

My Business

I started growing kales which was highly productive. The new farming techniques were introduced to us by the USAID, an American NGO working with women, orphans and vulnerable children. From the income of the surplus food sold, I developed a passion for this business I liked the business with time I had collected almost one turn of manure and started horticulture farming. Things turned out well,and I was able to pay for my children school fees with ease even after the sudden death of my husband.

I grow kales, carrots, watermellons, cabbages, onions, tomatoes and oranges for sale. The farm is doing well, though it has not expanded very well due to some interruptions.

I choose this business because it is less capital intensive and kales grow so fast. I do keep goats that produces manure which we use to grow kales, while the farm gives them feeds.This symbiotic relationship has made farming to be even cheaper.

I use KES 5,000 to pay casual labourers helping me in my farm on a monthly basis and take home a profit of KES 10,000 per month besides vegetable for use at home.

Loan Proposal

I need a loan of KES 9,000 to enable me buy a wheelbarrow, fork jembe, slasher and watercan to help me improve my farming business. In a good month, I do make an income of KES 17,000. With the new equipments and tools, I will e able to improve on my income with a project of 16% increase and save about KES 3,000 per month due to increased income and work efficiency.

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