Flower farming excites villagers

Joseph Gitari with his wife at his flower farm in Gatugura village, Kirinyaga County.

It’s ten o’clock in Gatugura village, Kirinyaga County, and the chilly weather does not deter Joseph Gitari, who walks cautiously through his two-acre farm not to damage the blooming Arabicum variety of flowers.

“Most farmers in this region grow tea and coffee but I have stuck to flowers. It pays wells and has a ready market,” the 57-year-old father of three, explains. “Farming flower requires little capital, the flowers are resistant to pests and diseases, are tolerant to various soil conditions and to make things better for this region water is now readily available.