In the lush green landscapes of Vihiga County, resides Nancy Kavinya, a 34-year-old agripreneur. What started as a modest venture has blossomed into a thriving business that not only sustains her livelihood but also inspires others in her community.
Back in 2012, Nancy specialized in cultivating African Leafy vegetables (ALVs). Her goal was to grow them for domestic use and supply her neighbours and local vegetable vendors. However, competing activities led her to abandon farming temporarily.
In January 2023, Nancy’s life took a turn when she joined the Resilient Agriculture that Works for Young People (RAY) project. Through this initiative, she received training in regenerative agriculture techniques, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and gender empowerment. She also became part of a network of thousands of young agripreneurs.
The knowledge and networks gained from RAY have fueled her ambition and empowered her to challenge other young people in her community to consider farming as a viable livelihood and business opportunity.
The RAY project has also connected her to new markets. She now supplies her fresh vegetables to nearby hotels including Sossa Cottages and Roddy’s Green Lounge as well as schools, and vegetable vendors. Her daily sales have increased to KES. 6000 from KES. 2000.
Through RAY, Nancy has identified an opportunity in the poultry value chain. In September and November 2023, her poultry business saw significant success. She sold over 100 chickens, earning KES. 64,000. This revenue has helped her build a modern poultry coop, a dairy shed for and contributed to school fee payment for her three daughters.
When Nancy received a tender to supply 300 chickens to a group in December 2023, she faced a challenge—she couldn’t meet the demand alone. Fortunately, the RAY project provided a market linkage opportunity. She outsourced 300 one-day-old chicks at KES. 110 each from Uzima Limited Company. After one and a half months, she sold them at KES. 250 each making a profit of KES. 42,000. Impressed by her success, Uzima Company approached her to become their agent within Hamisi Sub County.
“The steady growth of my agribusiness encourages me to invest more efforts to succeed. I am also glad my achievements are inspiring other young people to see agriculture as an opportunity,” she says.
Nancy employs four people on her farm. Her impact ripples through the community, promising a more sustainable and prosperous future. She also mentors fifteen young women and ten young men, sharing her expertise and encouraging them to embrace agriculture. Her advice to young people is “Agribusiness is the way to go! If you have the resources, grab the opportunity and you will enjoy the fruits.”