Journalist minting money in Covid19 times from organic farming

After retrenchment, with just Sh5,000, journalist dived into organic farming

When the first case of Covid-19 was reported in Kenya in March this year followed by a surge in the number of infections, the government placed the country under partial lockdown as a way of curbing the spread of the virus.

Many people lost their jobs, some took pay cuts while others went home on unpaid leave. Journalists were not spared by the pandemic after leading media houses issued profit warnings and down-sized their operations as a way of cutting on costs.

After losing his job, Jesse Chenge, a journalist based in Bungoma, took a leap of faith and ventured into organic farming on a half-acre parcel of land.

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“I had only Sh5,000 in my pocket and wondered how the money would see me through April. But an idea came to my mind that I could grow vegetables and sell to the locals to make an extra coin. I used Sh3,000 to rent half an acre and the balance to buy seedlings.” 

According to Chenge, the owner of the land wanted Sh6,000 but they agreed that he pays a deposit of Sh3,000, plant the crops and once he starts harvesting, he would clear the balance.

Through trial and error, the journalist sub-divided the parcel into eight portions and  planted sukuma wiki (kales), pilipili hoho (bell peppers), black nightshade (managu), amaranth, spider plant (tsisaka) and coriander (dhania) in different portions.

“The land is located next to a spring and I diverted some of the water to my farm. I used to wake up at 5am and allow the water to flow into the farm for an hour and then block it. This saw the vegetables grow very fast and in three weeks I started harvesting.” 

Chenge uses organic manure to grow his vegetables.

“I do this to protect the aquatic life. The place is swampy and the only way to save animals that live in the water is to use organic manure. This is also healthy for human consumption.”

Because his crops are organic, he has a ready market from leading hotels in Bungoma town, vegetable vendors and residents around Pombotano.

During the first harvest, Chenge said he got Sh10,000 from the vegetables and Sh20,000 from the second harvest.

He got Sh700 from sukuma wiki during the first harvest and Sh5,000 on the third harvest.

“The demand became so high forcing me to add another acre where I planted 3,000 stems of sukuma wiki, managu and tomatoes. I also employed five young men to help with farm work when I am away,” says Chenge.

According to Chenge, through organic farming he has been able to buy a new camera, laptop, tripod stand and several microphones for his work worth Sh300,000.

This is after he lost his tools of trade in March at a parking lot in Kakamega when on duty.

For youths still crying over Covid losses, he has this to say: “There is money in farming and journalists too have the potential to get money from farming. I want to encourage them to try the same at home or even on rented farms,” says Chenge.

Chenge now wants to expand his farm as a way of meeting the demand for his produce. Though he has already broken even, the main challenge he faces are aphids that attack the vegetables.