- In Kenya, the price of arabicum is Sh13.56 to Sh15.14 per stem but within the field for generations normally attracts even higher prices.
- Mbugua says, he is one of the beneficiaries who received training on agroecology farming from Institute for Culture and Ecology.
Image: GEORGE MURAGE
Kenya flowers are sold in more than 60 countries. Over 500,000 people, including over 100,000 flower farm employees, depend on the floriculture industry that impacts over 2 million livelihoods.
Kiambu is among counties that produce various varieties of flowers for not only the local market but also for export.
Farmers however continue to shy away from venturing into new types of ornamental crops due to uncertainty of farming practices and availability of markets.
For Gabriel Mbugua, growing up and becoming a farmer was always on his mind, but never had he thought of venturing into the flower business.
In 2021, he embarked on agroecology farming with the primary focus being on environmental conservation—a commitment to Mother nature.
Little did he anticipate that beyond its ecological benefits and the production of safe foods, agroecology farming would emerge as a lucrative income stream and its revolution change his fortune.
Mbugua who resides in Kamburu, a sublocation within Gatamaiyu in Lari, Kiambu county, and whose major economic activities is dairy and tea farming, cultivates a variety of crops, but what stands out in his farm is Arabicum, an ornamental flower.
Arabicum is an annual flower used in fresh bouquets and has been gaining popularity among small scale farmers in the country because they are easy to grow and yield higher returns to farmers.
In Kenya, the price of arabicum is Sh13.56 to Sh15.14 per stem but within the field for generations normally attracts even higher prices.
Mbugua says, he is one of the beneficiaries who received training on agroecology farming from Institute for Culture and Ecology to conserve the environment and produce safe foods.
ICE has been working with smallholder farmers since 2013 to revive their hope through promotion of agro-ecological farming.
Leveraging a collaborative group effort, Mbugua says he now exports these summer Arabicum flowers to the Netherlands, a pivotal market for their produce.
“Farmers in this area transitioned to organic farming and this has attributed to the surge of improved healthy flowers that we never used to cultivate before and we have experienced a substantial increase in earnings," he said.
Before adopting agroecology practices, his weekly flower harvest was 5,000 stems. However, with the transition, this figure has increased to an impressive 7,000 stems.
Mbugua says the valuation of these flowers is based on length and strength, with longer and sturdier stems commanding higher prices.
The flowers are categorised in three height brackets—60cm, 70cm, and 80cms, Mbugua says, adding that organic farming, especially the use of Bokashi bio-fertiliser and boosters, has significantly contributed to the increase in stem height, surpassing the 80cm threshold.
Due to the ecofriendly nature of using bio-products that are safe, Mbugua says that European buyers, particularly those within the European Union, have shown immense interest in his flowers.
“During off-seasons, they closely monitor the resumption of production since they have been emphasising on environmentally sustainable farming practices and also advocating for a collective shift towards agroecology,” he said.
Even as Kenya relies on the European Union for over 80 per cent of its fresh produce market, aligning with these agro ecological trends positions farmers like Mbugua at the forefront of a burgeoning global movement.
According to experts, Arabicum grows best in a cool climate at elevations of 1500-2000 meters above sea level, requires a growing temperature of 22-28 degrees, deep fertile well drained soils preferably with a slightly acid to neutral PH.
It is commonly grown in cool areas such as Limuru, Redhill, Kericho and Embu.
The main cut flowers grown in Kenya are roses, carnations, and Alstromeria. Other flowers cultivated include, Arabicum, Lilies, Statice, a range of summer flowers amongst many others.
The Agricultural Food Authority Yearbook of Statistics 2022 shows that in 2021, floriculture contributed Sh110.85 billion up from Sh107.51 realised in 2020 which was 3.1 per cent increase.
The volume increased from 146,033 tonnes in 2020 to 210,135 tonnes in 2021 accounting for 44 per cent increase. The increase in value was attributed to high unit price for Kenyan flowers especially roses and cuttings.
Flowers exports accounted for 70 per cent of total horticulture value with the leading flowers per value being roses, cuttings and mixed flowers.