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Coriander boom spices up Yatta farmers' livelihoods

From left Shadrack Kakemu, Rose Wambua and pioneer farmer Stephen Mbondo display coriander seeds in Yatta in Machakos. The crop is emerging as a lucrative alternative to traditional staples, supported by contract farming. [File, Standard]
Coriander farming is transforming livelihoods in Yatta, Machakos County, where contracts with processors provide steady markets and higher returns compared to traditional crops.

Stephen Mbondo, among the first to experiment with coriander, locally known as dhania, in 2019, shifted from chickpeas after noticing rising demand. Today, he cultivates 50 acres and harvests nearly 300 bags each season.

“Most of what we do now, we’ve taught ourselves,” he says.

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