Irrigation pump to plant vegetables on idle land

Entrepreneur

About Me

My names are Benson Kaniu Karanja, and I was born in the year 1978 in Kiambu County of the central Province in Kenya. I went to Kirangari High school for my KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education). After my KCSE, I joined Kabete Technical Training Institute in Nairobi where I graduated with a diploma in Laboratory Technology. I am married with two children.

I have worked with CAIS as a laboratory technician for 3 years, where we were dealing with production of bull semen and selling it to farmers for artificial insemination, so I have experience in dairy management and generally agriculture production.

My Business

Besides working as a laboratory technician at Muruaki Secondary School, I am a farmer specializing in dairy farming in Kinangop. I also grow wide range of cash crops like potatoes, peas, carrots and cabbages. I am also a member of Tulaga farmers SACCO, where we sell our milk and get paid at the end of the month. Kinangop is endowed with weather that favours production of such cash crops and customers come as far as Nairobi.

My income per month ranges from Ksh. 8,000 (USD $90) to Ksh. 13,000 (USD $140). After deducting expenses, it amounts to sh 6000 ($70) per month as net income that I add to my salary at my work place for family upkeep and payment of school fees.

I intend to borrow a Zidisha loan to increase my farming activities with the help of my wife, who is a housewife. With this Zidisha loan, I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meter from the Turasha River which, though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during the coming dry spell. This will put me at an advantage, as I will not rely mostly on unpredictable weather. I also want to plant more feeder crops for my cows to boost milk production.

From my workplace I have net income of Ksh. 14,000 (USD $150) and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. We are approaching closure of schools, and I don’t work during the holidays, so I will be in a position to set the ball rolling and, furthermore, this will be close to two months. I also don’t work during weekends (i.e, Saturdays). Therefore, I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project.

I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops, particularly vegetables and cabbages, which have ready market due to their ever-increasing demand. When prices go down, I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.

Loan Proposal

With my third loan that i will borrow from zidisha, i will still increase my farming activities with the help of my wife who has so far helped me and thats the reason that i was able to clear my first loan. I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meters from Turasha river which though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during January and February months where this place experience dry spell. This will put me in advantage as I will not rely mostly on weather that is unpredictable. I want also to plant more feeder crops for my cows so as to boost milk production. From my work place I have additional source of income and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. With the help of my wife, I will be in a position to set the ball rolling. I dont work during weekends. i.e Saturdays therefore I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project. I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops particularly vegetables and cabbages which have ready market due to their ever increasing demand. When prices go down I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.

Show original English  

Feedback

Loan Info

Lenders