Chamomile opens up a NEW FARMING opportunity in Kenya

Crop diversification is one form of ensuring that farmers have more streams of revenue to keep them afloat even when one crop run into unexpected headwinds. Moses Githaiga of Saumu Center in Kiawara, Nyeri County is one farmer who has excelled in garlic farming but the aftermaths brought about by Covid opened him to the realities that one can have an empire which can crumble in a day.
To cushion himself from the effect, he Googled on which unique crop he could venture in, which has maximum returns, it’s easily adaptable in his locality, less attacked by pests and diseases and the answers he received all narrowed to Chamomile herb.

The crop is a herb in the daisy like flowers of the Asteraceae plant family. It contains vitamins A and C, and also contains essential oils and antioxidants. Once the flowers are dried, they can be infused in hot water to make chamomile tea, classified as specialty tea which is expected to gain high growth in the coming years. The rise in health consciousness among consumers across the globe is escalating the growth of the chamomile herbal tea market. The herb is also used as a flavoring agent in foods and beverages, mouthwash, soaps, or cosmetics. Egypt is known to be the largest producer and exporter of the crop in Africa, while the biggest consumers are in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Githaiga is leading chamomile farming in Nyandarua and Nyeri counties. This has given rise agribusiness activities worth millions of shillings. Farmers in these two regions have proven the climatic conditions of the areas to be very suitable and reliable for the crop.

“While perusing internet to get to know the current farming activities revolutionizing the farming industry, I discovered that people who were making chamomile tinctures were importing them. I asked myself, if I plant them then I will tap on this market. Besides, I fell in love with it after discovering it is grown organically 100% and it has medicinal purposes,” he stated.
The size of his farm under chamomile herbs is 5 acres, while the farm under seedlings is approximately 1acre, around100,000 seedlings.

According to Githaiga, farming the crop is a lucrative business. It’s among the most profitable crops to grow since it has a higher demand for both the seedlings and the harvested buds. “Seedlings have a good demand in the market; we sell at Ksh 20 per seed. The price of the harvested, dried and crushed buds is Ksh 20 per a sachet. A kilogram retails at Ksh 1, 000,” he says
“We have been telling farmers visiting us to always think of opportunities. We have initiated chamomile farming in Kiawara that has traditionally been regarded as dry area. This should motivate more farmers to embrace the high yielding, high value crops that will give them more returns and economically empower them. We have shown that it can be done, and this is our clarion call to our people to adopt these crops.I have seen people coming here to source for information and purchase seedlings; am always humbled. The venture is spreading fast like a bush fire and yet we introduced it few years ago,” he said.

In Ndaragwa, Ngamini village of Nyandarua County, Tabitha Gathecha is on her third week of harvesting chamomile, a venture that has created employment to four ladies. “Since harvesting began, I have been creating employment for four ladies. It goes on for a time. The more you harvest, the more fruitful and merrier it gets. It is like these ladies have a permanent job. I am farming this herb courtesy of Saumu Center who introduced it to me. Before, it was extremely hard because we grew maize and it failed us. I have so much joy now because I can comfortably feed my family and meet my children’s education and other expenses,” Gathecha explains.

Saumu Center has a mode of operation that entails customers making orders a day before delivery. This also entails the firm guiding the customers on whether the chamomile is ready for harvest or if it will take a few more days to be harvested. “As a Saumu center I am the first consumer myself, I guarantee clients that they consume fresh bulbs, right after harvest and delivered right at their doorstep and those that are dried are free from aflotoxins. We charge a fee estimated with the distance to be covered in delivery. Most of our clients are the ones we have been able to grow with since we began. Meeting the needs of our clients and solving their vegetable crisis is one of the biggest achievements that we pride our self in. When our clients are happy, we are excited on our part,” he ably informs.

Moses avers that Kenyan youths faced with bleak opportunities of employment should embrace farming to earn a living. For instance, he states that the agricultural value chain is big and those who may not feel fit in cultivating can be innovative by invent mobile applications that can link farmers and buyers or they can buy produce and engage in value addition.