Cultivating cow peas

Thomas

Ruaka Ridge Apartments, Kiambu County, Kenya

43% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Thomas

Member since

May 2018

On-time repayments

125 installments • 64%

About Me

My name is Thomas Githinji Mugo. I hail from Gichugu Constituency, Kirinyaga County. My childhood was a mix of urban and rural life, the latter commencing at 6 years of age when my family relocated from Nairobi to Kiangechu Village, Njuku Sublocation on the slopes of Mt. Kenya. Life at the rural setting started off rough in comparison with city life that I was born into. That meant transitioning from a home with electricity and a colour TV to one with a Lantern Lamp with no access to TV at all! It also meant waking up to attend to farm chores, for example, feeding the cows and chicken before proceeding to either weed the maize plot or harvest tea or coffee. In retrospect, this seemingly gloomy transition also nurtured a passion for farming into me. Today I practice agribusiness out of the acquired passion for farming!

My Business

I am an employee of a State Corporation in the oil and gas subsector. Besides, I practice agribusiness, majorly potato and horticultural farming. I also have a keen interest in forex trading which earns me residual income from my initial investment.

I purchased two 50 by 100 plots at Ngecha, Kiambu County, where I plant horticultural crops. Moreover,. I have leased a one acre plot at Njabini, South Kinangop, Nyandarua County where I plant potato due to the favourable weather conditions for the crop as well as access to quality accredited potato seed.

The yields from horticultural crop are harvested monthly while the yields from the potato farm are harvested on a quarterly basis. Income from the forex returns is accessible on a monthly basis.

Loan Proposal

I intend to use the loan to purchase 30kg of Cowpeas seed for planting in already prepared rows in my plot at Ngecha, Kiambu County. I also intend to purchase 20kg of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer to enrich the soil. Lastly, I intend to use part of loan proceeds to facilitate labour expenses for planting the Cowpeas.

I figured Cowpeas would be ideal to plant during this season since I intend to sell the Cowpeas as vegetables (Cowpeas leaves). The crop will mature and be ready for harvest in a month's time thus giving me an opportunity to clear the plot and plant a fresh crop therefore optimizing my plot's productivity throughout the long rains season (April to July). The project will enable me be part of the society that will contribute to food security within the locale and even the wider precints of Nairobi metropolitan.