Peninah Wafula from Kanduyi Sub county, Bungoma County is passionate about agribusiness. She ventured into farming, aggregating, and selling of nutritious and popular African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) including Kales.
“Agribusiness has always been my passion since I was young girl. I am committed to nurturing sustainable practices that will empower my fellow youths to explore opportunities in agriculture and stop dependance,” she says.
Thanks to her dedication, Practical Action selected her as a mentor to empower her to grow her agribusiness and to support fellow young people to pursue opportunities in agribusiness.
After being onboarded to the Resilient Agriculture that Works for People (RAY) project started by the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Practical Action, she underwent trainings, including good agricultural practices for ALVs facilitated by reputable seed companies. Additionally, she learnt effective market access strategies.
Practical Action linked her to Arianda Farms Africa Ltd, which grows and supplies fresh and traceable ALVS in the Lake Victoria region and beyond. Practical Action also supported her in negotiating the contract with Arianda Farms. She now supplies 160 kilograms of ALVs weekly.
To grow her business further, Peninah proposed and secured contracts with private schools in Kanduyi Sub county to supply vegetables weekly. Furthermore, she ventured into selling ALVs at the Musikoma vegetable market, frequented by traders from neighboring towns.
To meet the demand from her growing customer base, Peninah aggregates ALVs from her mentees and other young people under the RAY program. This move has proven lucrative, further solidifying her position as a key player in the agricultural landscape.
Capitalizing on the health benefits associated with ALVs, Peninah has positioned herself as a prominent figure in the industry. Her dedication to promoting ALVs has not only generated income but has also facilitated her transition from maize farming to expanding her ALVs farming operation.
Her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to sustainable agriculture serve as an inspiration to aspiring agribusiness enthusiasts across the county.
In her own words, Peninah summarizes her journey, stating, "Agribusiness is not just about farming; it's about nurturing communities and fostering sustainable growth. I am proud to be part of this transformative journey."