UON Economics Graduate, 24, Contrary to the Perception of Many Academicians and Literates, Chose to Use his Degree to Expand his Agribusiness

Alpha, 24, is an economics graduate from the University of Nairobi, defying the perception that farming is for the illiterate. He decided to put his degree to good use by expanding his agricultural business and working on building confidence and development programs.

Think Your Own Way

“As a kid, I always aspired to be a greater farmer than my father.” I used to grow my veggies when I was a youngster. Whenever my father sold his veggies, he also sold the ones I had developed. Then I’d collect the money I’d saved or utilised for my purposes,” he explains.

Alpha Fresh farm’s company keeps dairy cows, and poultry, and organically cultivates horticulture crops. Alpha has high plans for his company; he wants it to become one of the most successful agribusinesses in Kiambu County, if not the entire country.

The three largest obstacles that African farmers like him confront, according to Alpha, are access to cash, technical help, and knowledge.

Data-Driven Agriculture

Alpham’s business culture has evolved due to collaborating with other farmers in the region and going online. “The internet has given me access to many platforms where I can learn information and network with other farmers,” says Alpha.

Joining farmer groups has also been quite beneficial to me. It has aided me in overcoming obstacles to financial access. Now that I’m a member of the organisation, I can get veterinary care from a veterinary practitioner that the group has selected and paid for.

Limitations

“Agriculture is a capital-intensive enterprise that needs access to funds for development.” This has been challenging due to the hefty interest rates charged by banking institutions.”

“Getting to extension services, veterinary care, and other services is also problematic.” Finally, most farmers do not have simple access to essential information such as disease outbreaks, input pricing, and accessible inputs.”

Final Thoughts

Any farming entails a lot of hard work, and a lot of responsibility, and is not the type of business where you can get rich rapidly, if at all. Farming is both a way of life and a business, with a lower financial “prize” for all of the hard labour you must put in during the year.

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