he quit a six figure salary job to venture into farming and its paying off

For approving small loans to small

scale farmers, Jacob Wambua took

home more than Sh 100,000 every

month. Quite a comfortable amount to

survive on.

But Wambua learnt one lesson:

Focused farmers who invested in

agribusiness were minting money, far

more than he earned! He decided to

make a rare leap of faith and resigned

as a branch manager of a leading

SACCO.

He was emboldened by his wife’s faith

that they could make money. Today, Mr

and Mrs Wambua are successful

farmers, above average so to speak. At

their fertile 10 acre-Mua Hills, they

have over 400 orange trees, over 200

mango trees and over 50 avocados

plants.

They also have 25 tree tomatoes, sweet

passion trees, over 2,000 strawberries

plants (and a professionally prepared

strawberry seedlings nursery).

That’s not all. The farm has tens of

rabbits, indigenous chicken, 3 dairy

cattle and about 7 heifers.

Since their venture, the Wambuas have

no regrets. From their dairy cattle

alone, they earn around Sh 90,000 a

month. “We produce about 60 litres

every day and we sell it at Sh 50,” he

explains.

To maximize their production and

profits, the couple has invested in drip

irrigation and small scale

mechanization.

To put icing on the cake, they have

exploited opportunities presented by

Mkulima Young’s marketing arm,

Mkulima Young Soko. “I take pictures

of my products, upload them in te site

while still in the farm and calls start

coming almost immediately,” explains

Wambua

The couple’s focus and determination

has begun to be recognized. This year,

their farm won several awards in the

just concluded ASK show in Machakos.

His vision is to have a small cottage

industry that will be able to supply

fresh juice in Machakos County and its

environs. Hongera, the Wambuas!!!!