More crops and livestock
Adding to the farming methods already covered (poultry, dairy, pigs, rabbits, goats, avocado, macadamia and more), these crops and animals suit different regions and markets.
What these methods share
- Market first: know your buyer before planting or stocking.
- Permits: some animals (game birds, ostriches) need Kenya Wildlife Service permits.
- Extension advice: county agricultural officers and KALRO offer guidance.
891. Turkey farming
What it is: Raising turkeys for meat, especially for festive seasons and hotels. How it works: Buy poults → brood → grow → sell.
| Skills | Poultry management |
| Cost & equipment | Housing, feed, poults |
| Where to find work | Hotels, festive buyers, butcheries |
| Payment | Per bird |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start small; plan sales for December and Easter. Pros: Good prices per bird. Cons & risks: Sensitive young birds. Scam warning: Buy poults from reputable breeders. Kenya notes: Demand peaks during festive seasons.
892. Ducks and geese
What it is: Raising ducks and geese for meat and eggs. How it works: Buy ducklings → raise with water access → sell.
| Skills | Poultry management |
| Cost & equipment | Housing, water source, feed |
| Where to find work | Restaurants, households, Asian and hotel markets |
| Payment | Per bird or egg |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start with a few; find buyers first. Pros: Hardy birds. Cons & risks: Smaller market than chickens. Scam warning: Avoid “guaranteed buyback” schemes. Kenya notes: Some hotels and restaurants buy ducks regularly.
893. Guinea fowl farming (with permit)
What it is: Rearing domesticated guinea fowl for meat and eggs. How it works: Get a KWS permit → buy keets → rear → sell.
| Skills | Poultry management |
| Cost & equipment | Housing, feed, permit |
| Where to find work | Hotels, specialty buyers |
| Payment | Per bird |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Apply to the Kenya Wildlife Service for a game farming permit first. Pros: Premium meat. Cons & risks: Permit needed; flighty birds. Scam warning: Never take birds from the wild. Kenya notes: Guinea fowl are classed as wildlife in Kenya, so farming needs a permit.
894. Ostrich farming (with permit)
What it is: Rearing ostriches for meat, leather, feathers and tourism. How it works: Permit → breeding stock → rear → sell or show.
| Skills | Large-animal management |
| Cost & equipment | Land, fencing, permits, high capital |
| Where to find work | Hotels, leather buyers, tourists |
| Payment | Per bird or product |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to high |
| Time to first income | Years |
How to start: Visit existing ostrich farms; get KWS permits. Pros: Several income streams. Cons & risks: High capital; long cycle. Scam warning: Check the legality of any “ostrich investment” scheme. Kenya notes: A few ostrich farms run in Kenya, some as tourist attractions.
895. Strawberry farming
What it is: Growing strawberries for fresh sale, jams and yoghurt makers. How it works: Plant runners → irrigate and mulch → harvest frequently.
| Skills | Horticulture |
| Cost & equipment | Seedlings, irrigation, mulch |
| Where to find work | Supermarkets, hotels, processors |
| Payment | Per kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start on a small plot with drip irrigation. Pros: Quick income from small land. Cons & risks: Perishable; pests. Scam warning: Buy runners from certified nurseries. Kenya notes: Grows well in cooler highland areas.
896. Watermelon farming
What it is: Growing watermelons for markets and juice businesses. How it works: Plant → irrigate → harvest in about three months.
| Skills | Horticulture |
| Cost & equipment | Seeds, irrigation, pest control |
| Where to find work | Markets, juice vendors, supermarkets |
| Payment | Per fruit or tonne |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Choose hot, dry areas with irrigation. Pros: Fast crop cycle. Cons & risks: Price drops at peak harvest. Scam warning: Plan harvest timing to avoid gluts. Kenya notes: Common in Kitui, Makueni, Coast and Ukambani regions.
897. Dragon fruit farming
What it is: Growing dragon fruit cactus for a premium fruit market. How it works: Plant cuttings on posts → grow 1–2 years → harvest.
| Skills | Horticulture |
| Cost & equipment | Posts, cuttings, irrigation |
| Where to find work | Supermarkets, hotels, export |
| Payment | Per kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to high |
| Time to first income | Years |
How to start: Start with a small trial; find buyers early. Pros: Premium prices; drought tolerant. Cons & risks: Long wait before harvest. Scam warning: Beware seedling sellers promising unrealistic returns. Kenya notes: A growing niche in Kenya's warmer regions.
898. Moringa farming and products
What it is: Growing moringa and selling leaves, powder, seeds and oil. How it works: Plant → harvest leaves → dry and powder → pack.
| Skills | Farming, processing |
| Cost & equipment | Seeds, drying space, packaging |
| Where to find work | Health shops, exporters, local buyers |
| Payment | Per kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start with powder; get KEBS approval before supermarkets. Pros: Grows fast in dry areas. Cons & risks: Health claims must be careful. Scam warning: Don't claim moringa cures diseases. Kenya notes: Suits warm, dry areas such as Coast and Eastern Kenya.
899. African indigenous vegetables
What it is: Growing traditional vegetables like managu, terere, kunde, saga and mrenda. How it works: Plant → harvest frequently → sell fresh.
| Skills | Horticulture |
| Cost & equipment | Seeds, small plot, water |
| Where to find work | Markets, supermarkets, hotels |
| Payment | Per bunch or kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Sell to urban markets where demand is growing. Pros: Fast cash; nutritious. Cons & risks: Perishable. Scam warning: Use certified seed. Kenya notes: Indigenous vegetables fetch good prices in Nairobi markets.
900. Sorghum contract farming
What it is: Growing sorghum under contract for brewers and processors. How it works: Sign contract → plant certified seed → deliver harvest.
| Skills | Crop farming |
| Cost & equipment | Seed, land, inputs |
| Where to find work | Brewers, millers, processors |
| Payment | Per tonne on delivery |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Join a farmer group with a contract; follow quality requirements. Pros: Guaranteed buyer. Cons & risks: Contract terms must be read carefully. Scam warning: Read contracts before signing; avoid side-selling disputes. Kenya notes: Brewers source sorghum from dry regions like Eastern and Western Kenya.
901. Pawpaw (papaya) farming
What it is: Growing pawpaws for fresh markets and processors. How it works: Plant seedlings → irrigate → harvest within about a year.
| Skills | Horticulture |
| Cost & equipment | Seedlings, irrigation |
| Where to find work | Markets, supermarkets, juice businesses |
| Payment | Per fruit or kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Use improved varieties; manage diseases. Pros: Year-round harvests. Cons & risks: Viral diseases. Scam warning: Buy seedlings from certified nurseries. Kenya notes: Warm regions suit pawpaw well.
902. Aloe vera farming (with permit)
What it is: Growing aloe for gel, juice and cosmetic ingredients. How it works: Register and get permits → plant → harvest leaves → sell to processors.
| Skills | Farming |
| Cost & equipment | Land, permits, suckers |
| Where to find work | Cosmetic and herbal processors |
| Payment | Per kilo |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Years |
How to start: Get the required permits; secure a buyer first. Pros: Drought tolerant. Cons & risks: Regulated; buyer contracts needed. Scam warning: Wild aloe is protected: never harvest from the wild. Kenya notes: Kenya regulates aloe; cultivation and trade need permits.
Summary
- More farm options include turkeys, ducks and geese, guinea fowl and ostriches (with KWS permits), strawberries, watermelons, dragon fruit, moringa, indigenous vegetables, sorghum contracts, pawpaw and aloe.
- Find buyers first and use certified seeds and stock.
- Some animals and plants need permits.
Check yourself
Which authority issues permits for guinea fowl and ostrich farming? (acronym)
Show answer
kws
Name a traditional Kenyan indigenous vegetable (one word)
Show answer
managu
Should you harvest aloe from the wild? (yes or no)
Show answer
no