Farming of black nightshade, known as managu or sujaa, has become a lucrative commercial venture in West Pokot, and many farmers are concentrating on it.
One of them is Zubeda Lodawa, a mother of eight from Chepkata village, Kaprom sublocation in West Pokot. She said the plant is easy to grow, has many health benefits and the market is growing.
From her half acre, Lodawa said she makes enough money to pay school fees and cater for basic needs.
“I started growing managu in 2017 after friends told me about its viability and profitability. Since then, I have no regrets since there's a steady market in major towns such as Makutano and Chepareria," she said.
Earlier, she used to farm sukuma wiki, cabbages and spinach that were expensive to cultivate.
Most eateries have managu on the menu, she said.
One sack of managu sells for Sh2,000 at the local markets though seeds are becoming hard to find, compared to kale and cabbages.
Farming managu is easy and cheap and does well with readily available farmyard manure. She only needs a little pesticide.
Lodawa said with training in modern agriculture, she can increase production and income.
“The only problem is that we still depend on traditional methods in this region," she said. "If we had irrigation and prepared the ground better, our yield would be better."
Sometimes she uses uncertified seeds but said agricultural suppliers have started stocking managu seeds.
She urged the Agriculture ministry to make nightshade-managu a priority crop for West Pokot due to favourable weather conditions and plenty of available land. She said the crop is hardy and drought-resistant.
“We can become black nightshade exporters if farmers are trained and supported to grow on a large scale,"Lodawa said.
Lodawa supplies sujaa to hotels within Makutano centre in Kapenguria town. She harvests an average of two bags of the leaves per day during peak seasons.
Dietician Mess Yaraita recommends managu, saying it is good for people with stomach ulcers as it is low in acid and has medicinal benefits.
Many people cook it with other indigenous greens and say it can be cooked and preserved for several days without losing flavour.
(Edited by V. Graham)
