A veterinary doctor’s relentless efforts in farming that spans over a decade are paying handsomely two years after he ventured into pawpaw farming.
Narrating his journey to KNA at his expansive farm in Mbiri, Murang’a County, Peter Mwangi Wamwea reminisced on the rewarding farming journey that has seen him settle on papaya in one portion of his 10-acre land.
“I started farming in 2011,” divulges Mwangi whose farm is divided into portions of oranges, thorn melons, plantains and local bananas.
“Bananas farming was doing well until Covid -19 struck the country and I was stuck with a huge produce without a market because of the lockdown and the global shrinking of the economy,” he observes.
Mwangi, an expert in smart farming, lost a lot of money and decided to start pawpaw farm in 2021. “I carried out market research on pawpaw (carica papaya) farming and realized there was a gap in the market, hence I had to do everything right in order to close the gap and reap better returns,” disclosed Mwangi.
The Calina 1PBP is a dwarf plant that matures in eight months and can stay active for up to four more years. “In June 2021 and on a 2 acre- portion of my land, I dug planting holes of 60cm by 60cm, three meters apart and mixed the top soil with goat manure.
Papaya thrives in well-drained, light soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. The variety Mwangi selected requires constant water and manure supply for optimal yields. He has installed underground water pumps, which are serviced by diesel pumps, to ensure that his farm has constant water supply in case of rain.
He also sourced papaya seedlings in Thika at Sh. 100 plants and 1500 holes dug at Sh. 30 each. “I was keen on getting the best field management including the best seeds in the market if my investment and passion in farming was to pay off. The whole startup cost me approximately Sh.500,000,” he reveals adding pawpaw plants are watered weekly.
The father of three teenagers, seven and a-half months after planting, he received his first harvest in May.
“I harvest the fruits three times a week. I sell the fruits at Sh. 70 per kilo,” observed Mwangi.
Mwangi employs two permanent employees on his farm, and five casual laborers when he needs them.
Mwangi, like every lucrative venture, admits that his pawpaw farm journey has been fraught with chemical use and has had to learn from his mistakes.
“We want to give our customers a clean product so we have reduced pesticide usage and only stick to manure usage,” he says.
Another problem is that the part-time vet doctor sources manure as far as Narok. He says this comes at a high transport cost because of the stifled economy, and the high fuel prices.
His main market is Murang’a but he prospects to venture outside as he will harvest more than a ton per week once all the pawpaw plants mature. “Be patient and be on the ground always for better yields and promptly address pests and diseases before they cause much damage to the crop,” advises Mwangi as we concluded the interview.
Florence Kinyua
Source: kenyanews