How Sh60 propelled labourer to successful macadamia farmer

Michael Kariuki, a macadamia farmer and an Embu MCA waters and tends macadamia seedlings at his farm in Mutunduri, Embu County on February 12, 2016. He has 3,700 stems of macadamia trees that produce 16 tonnes of nuts annually, a factory for drying the nuts and a nursery with 10,000 seedlings. BY JOSEPH MUCHIRI/STANDARD

Twenty years ago, he was a poorly paid casual labourer toiling in people’s farms near Manyatta market, Embu County.

Aged 20 then, his future did not offer much promise – not until he decided to invest his Sh60 savings to venture into macadamia trading and farming.