Psiscah Charo: Meet a graduate who farms watermelons, making high returns despite having to travel weekly from Nairobi to Kwale.
Drawing an inspiration from her mother, Prisca Charo, 28, has developed a flourishing melon farm in Kwale county
Many people who pass by are drawn to the lush green sweet melon plantings on a half-acre farm in Patanani village, Kwale County.
Prisca Charo, an International Relations and Security Studies graduate, was encouraged to produce the crop by her mother, Euniter Amolo Charo, who help her to make the idea a reality.
Start-up capital
Prisca spent KES 201,500 in the firm with the help of her mother, which went toward a water pump, seeds, fertiliser, tilling land, and irrigation kits.
They grow the Galia kind of delicious melons, according to Prisca. Because the crop demands a lot of water, the family drilled a borehole for Sh150,000 to ensure a steady water supply.
“We also dug a water pan where we store more water through Ufanisi Cooperative Society, of which we are members.”
Prisca recommends that the field be prepared to a fine tilth, holes be dug, and seeds are sown before planting the melons.
Dedication and Hard work
She is in charge of overseeing agricultural activities as well as marketing the goods.
“Every weekend, I travel from Nairobi to check on the farm’s activity and then share with my mum.” “It’s a mother-daughter business,” says Daystar University alumni.
Production and Marketing
Prisca reports that they have gathered 1,336 kilograms from the quarter-acre they are now harvesting, 818 kilos during the first harvest and 518kg during the second.
They sell them for Sh80 apiece in Mombasa’s Marikiti market. Each watermelon weighs between 2.3 and 2.85 kilograms.
“Because few farmers cultivate them, there is a ready market for the fruits,” she adds, adding that she expects to harvest additional fruits in the following weeks.
Agribusiness Training
Amolo says she opted to help her daughter since they are both interested in agriculture.
“To gain the appropriate expertise, Prisca went to Pwani University for agribusiness training before we started.”
Because of the growing demand for the fruit, they have begun to expand their sweet melons acreage.
Source: Nation
