A case of IVs farmer in Mugima Commercial Producer Group in Kiambu, Kenya

Farm Concern International (FCI) has enhanced Indigenous Vegetables (IVs) production and marketing through pilot commercialization using the Commercial Villages Model in Kiambu District, Central Kenya with over 5000 Households directly involved.

Mr. Geoffrey Njenga is a member in Mugima Commercial Producer Group (CPG) of Githiga Commercial Village. Njenga together with his colleagues in Githiga Commercial Village started commercial production of IVs as a farm-business enterprise in 2005 following the introduction and commercialization intervention of the vegetables by FCI.

Mr. Njenga has a family of five and subsists on land holding of 0.9 ha on which 0.3 ha has been devoted to IVs commercial production. Njenga mainly grows IVs including African Nightshade, Spider Plant, Amaranth and Ethiopian Kales throughout the year using water from a small stream on the lower side of his farm. Indigenous Vegetables are short-term crops and easy to grow taking between 4 to 6 weeks to mature unlike the exotic vegetables which take more than 12 weeks to mature. Njenga attests that IVs are not resource intensive requiring organic manure (farm yard manure or compost manure), little or no inorganic fertilizers hence significantly lowering cost of production since the manure is readily available from his cattle shed. Indigenous vegetables are also rarely affected by diseases and pests. Little or no agro chemicals are used which in most cases account for the bulk of crop production cost.
Prior to IVs commercialization intervention by FCI, Mr. Njenga had started a small-scale cut flowers and other exotic vegetables farm enterprise which could only earn him approximately Kshs 17500 (US$ 230.26) a month but inconsistently. Following his adoption of IVs commercialization, Njenga currently earns approximately Kshs 40,000 (US$ 526.3) per month which translates to approximately over Kshs 480, 000 (US$ 6315.8) annually. Njenga and Githiga Commercial Village have established market linkages and regularly supply their indigenous vegetables to wholesale markets in Nairobi and super market chain stores among them Uchumi Supermarket Limited.

Njenga’s incomes from IVs came when the small scale tea and dairy farming were performing dismally and he had a serious challenge in raising his family but his incomes from IVs commercialization have transformed his family’s livelihood tremendously.
·    Njenga has educated all his children through IVs income with support from few other enterprises including dairy
·    He has installed electricity in his home; thanks to IVs
·    He has bought an additional  ½ an acre piece of land at US$ 6579
·    Bought a water pump for irrigating his crops
·    Invested in stocks of blue chip corporate Institutions such as Barclays Bank and others
·    Improved family’s daily subsistence