Tech graduate ditches computers for integrated farming practice

By Zablon Oyugi
Securing an internship program after college with big firms in Nairobi has always raised hopes of many graduates of possible employment by the companies and better life in the city.

For many, this has always remained just but a wish that they cannot ride on to success with the disappointment leading some into hustling jobs to make a meaning to their lives.
This is a similar script for Samora Machelle Mwamba who upon his graduation in 2011 got an internship with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) for one and a half years and then with KCB Bank Kenya Limited for a year.

All that kept him going with the unpaid internships was the hope for a permanent job, and gaining experience to grow his career. He also engaged in graphic design and video production side hustles for some little cash to foot his bills and do some savings.

‘’I remember at KCB, we used to be encouraged to work hard as a away of impressing management for job opportunities but this was never to be,’’ said the Information Science graduate from Moi University and Diploma in IT graduate from Nairobi Aviation.

However, something happened to him during his time with KCB that would change his life forever.

Because of the nature of his work at the financial institution which gave him opportunity to interact with many customers, he happened to meet one client whom he developed an interest of knowing further.

The client did not look classy but used to deposit big amounts of money occasionally. This drew Machelle’s attention and he decided engage the customer one day in a discussion only to discover that he was a farmer from Nyeri County.

‘’When he finally agreed to invite me to his farm, I was surprised. The farm which was not that big in size had a host of activities from poultry, dairy, aquaculture to growing different types of crops, vegetables and fruits,’’ said Machelle.

Within that one day, he was able to learn a lot about that integrated type of farming from the ‘new friend’.

Back to Nairobi, he made a risky decision to, first, stop his engagement with KCB and then his side hustles in the city to return to his rural home in Migori County where there was underutilised family land to try his hand in farming.

He used part of his side hustles’ savings to start poultry keeping by building a structure using locally available materials and bought some 200 beginner chicks at Sh100 each from Kukuchick Ltd.

After 3-4 months of proper management he would sell 195 mature chicken which survived to his friend who had a wedding party at Sh800 each to raking Sh156,0000.
This, he used part to buy a heifer at Sh30,000 constructed a cowshed at Sh5,000 and used the rest to restock his poultry house.

After 2 years, the heifer gave birth and he would start selling milk, eggs, manure, chicken and chicks while increasing his stock and venturing in other types of farming.‘’As my stock multiplied, I became motivated and ventured into other farming practices after acquiring seven acres from my parents,” said Machel.

Five years down the line, the father of one has increased his stock to 15 dairy cows, currently milking eight. His chicken have also increased tremendously to 1,000 with broilers, pure and improved indigenous breeds and a special breeding stock of 200 hens and 20 cocks.

He has 8 dairy goats and 20 sheep besides 30 plus gees, over 30 turkeys, Guinea fowls, quells, ducks and three different types of pigeon birds.

He has also ventured into vegetable and fish farming rearing tilapia and catfish within his four ponds of which the biggest one measures 10x8m and smallest 6x2m.

‘’I have realised that catfish earns me more returns than tilapia because it is not reared by many farmers in the area and yet consumers ask for it as compared to tilapia which floods the market,’’ said Machel.

However, his main challenge is getting farmhands who are willing to help him in his farm.
Machel whose current farm annual turnover is Sh3-3.5m has started a group of about 35 individuals in the area through which they have begun briquette making as he uses the opportunity to train more youth to embrace farming.