A farmer in Mathioya, Murang’a county who doubles up as clergy has left many in awe after venturing in aerial yams farming which is not only unique in the area but the first of its kind.
We meet Pastor Simon Ngure in his small piece of land which is less than an eighth of an acre attending to his aerial yams. From a distance, the plants look like passion fruits from the way the branches have intertwined.
Simon tells us that some years back he visited a friend who had the aerial yams in his farm and decided to carry some few plants and try and tells us that was his turning point after the returns he got from the yams. At first, he farmed domestically but attracted buyers that made him uproot all his coffee plants and ventured into the yams farming, where he even drilled a borehole to have sufficient water for his crops in the dry seasons.
Simon tells us that the crop is very economical in his piece of land that in as much its small, he is able to inter crop without interfering with the yams. He has planted vegetables like kales and spinach and at times does tomatoes or any other crop that takes less than three months to mature.
Another advantage of the crop is that once you plant the vines, they rejuvenate after 11 months after harvesting the yams and the only replacement needed is the supporting stick. A number of healthy benefits come with the yams as it’s the main source of minerals, helps people with memory loss, as well as helps to boost men power among other benefits.
Pastor Simon added that on a good season one vine is able to produce yams each weighing 2kgs that retail between sh5000 -sh7000 per bucket and this has helped him in a number of things like educating his children among other things.
Gearge Muchoki a neighbour who frequents Simon’s farm to learn a thing or two, says it high time both the County and National Government revive the extension service department to have farmers trained on modern ways of profitable farming.