Profitable cash crops to grow on a small farm

Vegetables

It is possible to choose from a large variety of vegetables to grow. Since vegetables are foods that are consumed daily. Finding the market may just be a day job. You can sell the vegetables direct from the garden or get a booth at the farmers' market. Whichever way you sell that produce can be a good seasonal stream of income.

Vegetables like Spinach, Amaranth and African nightshade will get a good market.

Additionally, if you find that even with preserving your harvest and selling the extra, you still have surplus produce, you can consider donating it to a non-profit organisation.

Herbs and spices

Most herbs are small in size and stature, and they can even be grown in containers. There is a quickly growing market for sustainably grown and harvested herbs and spices in Kenya like coriander, ginger, mint, turmeric, and rosemary, among others. They are easy to grow and take two to three months to mature. Some of these can be consumed both in fresh and dried forms.

Like vegetables, you can sell these directly from your garden from referrals, or take the produce to the market.

The market price of fresh ginger per kilogram is about Sh199.

Garlic

Kenya is still an importer of garlic. As of April 2023, garlic import data in Kenya stood at 2,137 shipments, according to an online imports and exports monitor, Volza Grow Global.

Garlic takes six to eight months for an entire bulb of garlic to grow from a single clove, depending on your climate zone.

Garlic grows best in soil that is rich in organic matter and gets good drainage, and they need watering when the weather is dry. Garlic is naturally pest and disease resistant. Do not stress the plants by overwatering or underwatering them.

Bulbs are ready to harvest when most stem leaves have turned brown. After pulling them, let them dry in the sun or open air before storing them, so they have a longer shelf life.

Good quality bulbs of garlic can be sold at local markets and grocery stores, restaurants, or at farmers markets.

"Garlic is a versatile and flavourful ingredient that has played an important role in history and cultures around the world. It is a staple in many cuisines, it is also widely used in traditional medicine. In the modern era, garlic has been the subject of scientific research which has demonstrated its potential health benefits, including its ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and boost the immune system," Mwangi says.

You can find a good market with Sh275 per kilogram.