David is a farmer and a businessman. He spends a lot of his time on his two-acre farm and from where he has earned much of his income for the last 15 years. David reflects on how farming has changed over the years. Climate change and Kenya’s economic challenges have been key contributors to a totally different crop. Irungu Farm now grows tomatoes, onions, and kales in the two acres farm.
Just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, David attended a free farmer’s training hosted by Safi Organics fertilizer and ICIPE. After the training, he visited a “demo plot” and was impressed by the organic fertilizer’s ability to increase crop yields while healing the soil at the time. David gave Safi Organics fertilizer a cautious try on a quarter of an acre of tomatoes. He then extended the use of the organic fertilizer to his cabbage crop and eventually across the farm. He is pleased with the results.
Increased harvest yields of 31 percent and the cost-effectiveness of Safi Organics fertilizer alongside enriched soil, improved soil structure, a balanced pH in the soil and appropriate drainage has resulted in a 50 percent increase in revenue and two additional employees all of which he credits to organic farming.
While David reminds us that much of a farmer’s interest is in the harvest he says, “most of the synthetic fertilizers degrade the soil by causing acidity to the soil. The opposite is true of organic fertilizer which amends the soil and ensures that the soil is balanced and retained for a long time.”
