I’m proof that women can make it big in farming, Debora Wakesho says

Not one to give up easily, Debora Wakesho was undeterred by stereotypical beliefs that farming is an occupation reserved for men.

Wakesho’s farming exploits have earned her recognition beyond her home county of Taita Taveta. In 2008, she decided to try horticultural farming as a full time venture. Today, she is a much sought after peas and French beans farmer.

“There is big money in horticultural farming,” Wakesho told Smart Harvest at her two-acre lush green farm at Kese village, Taita Sub-County. “Last, week I sold 600 kilogrammes of peas at Sh80 per kilo.”

Tucked in the scenic Taita Hills, her farm is a beehive of activity as other farmers visit it to benchmark. Her model farm has attracted even dignitaries among them former Agriculture PS Romano Kiome. She earns Sh48, 000 every two weeks by selling peas to Vegpro Company Ltd. “Whenever I harvest, I plant different crops like Irish potatoes, cabbages, and spinach to enhance the fertility of the soil and boost my earnings,” says Wakesho.

Wakesho is a member of a group of small scale farmers who sell their produce to Vegpro. The other farmers are in Mwatate, Mgange and Wumingu locations, areas endowed with immense potential for horticultural production.

Gold mine

Vegpro’s Outgrowers Manager Atul Patel says the company buys peas and French beans from 1,800 farmers from Taita Taveta. The company pays out between Sh500,000 and Sh1.2 million to farmers every two weeks.

“We’ve been sitting on a goldmine because we lacked information on peas farming. I am glad I decided to exploit this potential that has been enriching other people as we watch,” says Wakesho. To make it in the tough venture, more so in the predominantly harsh environment of the Coast region, calls for wit and sturdiness, says the resilient mother of three. When she decided to try her luck in horticulture, many dismissed her as a joker and a dreamer, but she remained unbowed.

Her efforts have been recognised beyond her home county of Taita Taveta. She won herself recognition and a prize in the just concluded Mombasa International Show for being one of the best horticultural farmers in the Coastal region.

Wakesho says she is committed to sensitising her community about farming as an alternative source of income to alleviate poverty, especially among women

“I used the proceeds from farming to build a modern house. I have also bought some dairy cows and a water pump to supplement my income. My children are in private schools and my family is now living comfortably,” she says.

“This is a capital-intensive undertaking that requires enormous resources to establish and  sustain. But this should not scare away people,” she says.