Turn your garden into a profitable greenhouse

By Maore Ithula

When Ms Florence Wanjiku Wang’ombe went on early retirement last year, she did not think she would end up in urban farming. Now she is one of the dozens of tomato producers in Utawala Estate, Embakasi.

Although Wanjiku is a trained journalist who had no basic knowledge in modern farming, she is a proud owner of a small greenhouse where she is producing tomatoes. The project is located on a quarter of an acre piece of land where her home also stands.

What prompted Wanjiku to take up horticulture, how does she do it and why does she produce tomatoes and not any other crop? "I got the idea from a neighbour who has been in this business for a year. Research revealed that tomato production has few risks especially if it is cultivated in a greenhouse," she says.

Invest wisely

Consultant Charles Oola tends tomatoes in a greenhouse farm. [PHOTO: Jenipher Wachie]

A single mother of two and jobless, Wanjiku had to invest her savings wisely lest she fails to see her children through school.

Greenhouse tomato production in Utawala Estate is a one-man show, says Wanjiku, introducing Mr Charles Oola who The Standard team found tending her crops.

"This is the man behind this project and many others in this area. He helps us build greenhouses, prepares seedbeds, transplants seedlings, applies fertiliser and shows us how to weed and guides us on general plant husbandry including crop protection," she says.

Two years ago, Oola retired from formal employment where he worked as an agricultural extension officer for 20 years. He became a consultant in small-scale horticulture in Nairobi.

High returns

"At the beginning of my consultancy, it was difficult to sell my ideas because I do not own a piece of land in the city where I could demonstrate what I am capable of doing. But over time people are getting to understanding me."

Today Oola has helped establish more than 20 small greenhouses in the estate where tomatoes are being produced. "The returns are high. It is the in-thing for women," he says.

Wanjiku’s greenhouse stands on a six by 12m potion of the land accommodating about 300 plants.

Oola says the project will produce about 10 tones of the vegetable over one year.

A kg of tomatoes goes for about Sh40. He says Wanjiku is likely to make about Sh400, 000 from her investment in the next one-year.

The cost of putting up the project, Waniku says, is Sh100, 000 including the cost of the greenhouse materials, seeds, manure, labour cost and Oola’s expert fee.

It takes three months from the seedbed to the first harvest, says Oola.

To build a small greenhouse Oola charges Sh20, 000 and Sh1, 000 per week per farmer for weekly visits.

Oola says tomato farmers in the area will make a fortune this season because the prevailing heavy rains are likely to ruin crops grown in open fields.

"To minimise application of agrochemicals, all my clients are practicing soil less farming," he says.