SUMMARY
- Seed type Vincent Okumu plants: Mfalme F1
- 50 g of Mfalme F1 seeds cost him Ksh 2,600
- Seedlings take upto one month on the seedbed
- Harvesting starts after one month of transplanting
- Yield of hybrid Sukuma Wiki give out more yield.
Vincent Okuku,37 is reaping the results of his hard work. Popularly known as Kenyatta at Kokise village, Siaya County, he expects to harvest sackfuls of sukuma wiki after another bountiful harvest last month.
He is looking forward to make a whooping Ksh500, 000 in June from kales (Sukuma Wiki) in his five acre farm.
He claims that every year, he makes more than a million Kenya shillings from vegetables, bananas and sugar cane. But his main money maker is sukuma wiki which he supplies to the village and beyond in Rarieda.
“I have tried tomatoes, cabbages, solanum (osuga), spider plant (dek) and bananas. But I have decided to concentrate on sukuma wiki because it is cheaper to grow,” he says. Having planted many kale varieties, Kenyatta is now trying a hybrid breed known as Mfalme F1 collards.
He says fifty grams of mfalme seeds cost Sh2, 600 while the normal variety goes for Sh180. The seedlings will take upto one month in the nursery after which they are transplanted. He then states that harvesting starts one month after transplanting. Vincent enjoys planting Sukuma Wiki because they can be harvested for five months. He says that the Mfalme F1 variety can be picked for up to two and half years.
He advises farmers to choose hybrid seeds due to its high production rate. The normal Sukuma Wiki used to give him Ksh 7,000 per week but now with the hybrid seeds he is making quite a lot of money.
“I supply 40kg of kales to Raliew Secondary School every Monday, and 70kg every week to St Phillips Wera Secondary School. I also supply 100kg to Ngere High School. One kilogramme goes for Sh30,” he says.
Kenyatta, who claims he has never been to Nairobi and does not wish to visit the city, says at least six vegetable vendors visit his farm daily. With 10,000 stems of sukuma wiki currently, his target is 30,000 in the coming season. The fruits of his many years of farming manifest themselves. From the proceeds, Kenyatta has bought five acres of land, although he still leases more to meet the high demand. “I never owned any piece of land. But over the years, I have bought a few parcels that I largely use for farming. I also bought a Honda 5.5 Horse Power generator at Sh45,000 that I use to pump water from Lake Victoria a few metres from my farm,” he says. He also used the returns he got from farming to open a shop for his wife at Ralayo Beach. “The proceeds have also helped me pay secondary school fees for my niece who is currently a second year Agriculture student at Egerton University,” he says.
Besides kales, Kenyatta grows tissue culture bananas (Williams and Chinese Dwarf) and sugarcane on a three-and-a-half-acre parcel he bought from Kale proceeds. “I have 230 Williams breed and 150 Chinese dwarf circuses which are now ready for sale. I harvest four times a year and sell each bunch for at Sh350,” Kenyatta says.
Comments (18)
Where can one get Mfalme F1 seeds?…any stockists around Bungoma town?
Hello Visit your local agrovet shop and inquire
Thanks for your constant advise and encouragement.how can I get in touch with Mr. Kenyatta please?I am in Migori county and interested in vegetable farming.
thanks for the good advice. how many packets can be used for an acre of a land?
Which variety plz
Very inspiring…
So inspiring! In fact am going to grow kales on my 1 acre land.
Good work. Do you guys stockists in Kampala Uganda
Good work. Do you guys have stockists in Kampala Uganda of mfalme F1
How Can I Talk To Mr Kenyatta Pleas
How can I get mfalme F1 am in Kisumu county? How can I get in touch with Kenyatta?
Get in touch with EA Seeds for Mfalme F1
Please am waiting mfalme f1 hybrid in Kisumu coz all agrovet doesn’t have it in the stock, kindly you people do something, thanks.
great project
I have been growing Mfalme F1 for the past 3 years with success but this year all the seeds I bought labelled Mfalme F1 (Improved) had seed-borne diseases which gave me huge losses. Infact I have had to spend thousands in disease control unsuccessfully. I’m looking for the manufacturer for compensation or refund coz even now I have 50g seed packet that I fear planting based on my experience. I’m in Ugenya, Siaya. Any help?
We have also heard complaints from other companies. Try visiting the HQ manufacturer office or engage them on social media.
The original Mfalme was good
Quite inspiring. A formidable game changer from job seekers to creators. Develop a quick to access portal to help jobless millions join agribusiness.