Jammo needs help Citizens.

We owe him big time and I believe it is time we gave him something in return for what he has done for us over the years.

Let us give him a helping hand, shall we?

Pls share experiences...this is very topical.

I a Kenyan living in the US and 2 years a go I did a project of building a green house. I was doing the project for my Social and Women's studies class. It was to investigate if $600 was enough to build a green house out of local materials for a community garden that would generate income and food for a community. I was successful building it and had 104 tomato plants in it with my own irrigation system. I could send you pictures of how it if you want however I don't have a business plan.

This is some experience about greenhouse tomato farming, which is what I have done.

Please don't believe the information that you see out there in impressive brochures by greenhouse sellers.. ati 40Kes/Kg farm gate.. That is on a very good day (and they are not many).

Key areas:
- Production - Have your guy trained by some professionals in the field. Make sure they do what they are supposed to - if its spraying, applying fertilizers, watering schedule, top dressing e.t.c.
Please try and keep insects away at whatever cost. They can make or break you.
Make sure you have a constant supply of water (one way or the other).
Do a soil and water test, it will save you alot in future.
- Harvesting period can be as long as 8 months to as low as 3 months. Depends on how well you take care of your plants.
- Marketing - either do your own marketing, in which case you need a vehicle for ferrying produce, or have some agent come and get the crops at some ridiculous price. Obviously, if you are marketing yourself, you get more money, but with more hussle.
- Keep abreast with market prices. There was a week a crate was going for 2800, it rained a little, the same crate went for 3600 after 3 days. Taking to the soko is hasara if you don't have big quantities. Those mamas for the soko will frustrate you thoroughly. Try and avoid going to the market, but sell to end users or retailers.. those mama mbogas, restaurants, e.t.c you can get upto 50% more by right market targetting.
- Even if you have people coming to the farm, they will also frustrate you at times, especially when they know you are dependent on them. I know someone who opted to feed his cows rather than sell at 10/kg, yet retail price is about 60/Kg.
- Something always goes wrong at one point. Try and look for a solution.

Personnel: Get a trustworthy guy, who will not sell your produce when you are busy working. Fire and hire as many times as may be necessary, until you get the right person. Always conduct interview first before giving someone the job. This guy is a deal breaker. it helps if you are staying within the farm, or have someone who can run the farm and stays in it.

I still wonder how people farm on those 8x15m Greenhouses for commercial purposes.. If you want it to make sense, go for the bigger sizes, e.g. 8x30m - then you have some economies of scale.

Depending on area, you will face other challenges. For example, I planted during rainy season, and the roads there are near impassable if it rains. We had to transport a lorry of manure by wheelbarrows a distance of about 200m, because the lorry got stuck in mud. Even a tractor got stuck in the same mud. Its in such times that you question what you are doing, and whether its all worth it.

If you get production, personnel and marketing right, then you are onto something. Forget about those spreadsheets that say you return your money in 6 months. That is hogwash.. Give it 1.5-3 years for it to start generating money for you.

This is a high capex, low opex business if you can get 80% of it right. Its quite challenging doing it remotely (I go to farm twice a week, but its doable).

I can answer questions if there are any.

Kitengela

@Mkimwa, what are you growing?

Ok,If I wish to visit how can I go about it?

Mkimwa.. Mukiha.. Thank you. Realizing alot of myths surround green house farming! LOL!

Anyway..dealing with Amiran..yet to see how far their support goes..

Thanks though..we'll see how it works out. After all...nothing ventured nothing gained.


@Mkimwa...that visit to your greenhouse is a must.

True, when starting out, you can't know where exactly to market because the market wants to see the produce. Whether it's Fresh and Juici or the grocers in the neighborhood, you'll only talk if they see what you are selling, and from there, as long as you can sustain a supply, you'll have a market, if they like your produce.