Student uses family farm to convert theory to practical

Smart Harvest-Ms Jane Muthoga harvests Sukuma Wiki at her farm in Nyeri where they use rabbit urine as pesticide PHOTO: JOHN GATHUA/ STANDARD.

Late last year, Brian Wanjohi, 22, approached his mother, Ms Jane Muthoga and requested to till part of their compound at Pembe Tatu, in Nyeri town.

Knowing his passion for farming, his mother agreed. The young man swam into action. “I started small with crops that are easy to maintain like sukuma wiki, kales and spinach. They did well,” says the final year student at the University of Nairobi pursuing Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring in Crop Protection.

Today, the eighth acre farm is an attraction in the neighbourhood.

He now grows kales, hybrid kales, sukuma, broccoli, collads, lettuce, spinach in his farm which is neatly fenced with wire mesh.

The project, which was intended for subsistence purposes, is now an income earner for the family.

Every week, Muthoga sells kales and other vegetables making a profit of Sh4,000.

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“I supply them to two traders in Nyeri market, and to the Kenya Police College in Kiganjo. Neighbours also come to buy the vegetables from the farm. We also donate to Metropolitan Home in Kamakwa, which cares for children with special needs,” says Wanjohi.

Safe organic farming

Wanjohi practises safe organic farming, which means he does not use any chemical.

Instead of using chemicals like fertilisers and pesticides, Wanjohi uses droppings of rabbits as manure and urine as pesticide.

“I was told that crops that have been smeared with rabbit dropping  are rarely attacked by pests. I have done it practically and confirmed that the dropping are far better than chemicals,” says Wanjohi.

No wastage

A  closer look at the farm indicates a typical food chain cycle, where every investment relies on the other.

The rabbits are fed on the vegetables from the farm, while their urine and droppings is used as manure to enrich the crops.

Just next to the gate leading to the farm, lies several rabbit sheds whose floor is made of iron sheets.

The iron sheets help collect the urine to gutters, which then converge in a basin.

Lucrative venture

The substance is sieved, to separate it with droppings and then preserved in gallons.

“At the moment, we have 40 litres of rabbit urine, which we sell also at Sh100 per litre. We supply the urine to a farmer in Nairobi who practices organic farming,” says Wanjohi.

According to Muthoga, rabbit keeping, which was decades ago seen as a hobby for young boys in rural areas is a lucrative investment.

“Rabbits do not feed a lot while they reproduce very fast. It has maximum benefits since the demand for its meat is very high,” she says.

Muthoga says a four-month old rabbit, weighing about three kilogrammes fetches Sh1,000.

She explains how they market the rabbit meat:“We joined an association of rabbit farmers in Nyeri, which helps us get a market for them. Sometimes we are not able to meet all the orders.”

Last month, she supplied 50 rabbits to hotels in Nairobi, while other orders came through the farmers’ association.

“We have five mature male rabbits and 14 females six of which are pregnant. We have more than ten young ones,” Muthoga says.

Of his son’s innovativeness he says: “I appreciate what my son is doing, especially by juggling between class work and farming. This project is helping him convert his theory to practical and that is why we refer to the farm as a pilot project.”

Muthoga advises parents to keenly observe their children at tender ages to identify their interest and potential.

“I noted his interest in farming when he was nine years old in Standard Four. He had a passion for the outdoors and environmental issues. He also used to scoop various environmental awards in school,” she says.