I ditched fish farming to grow watermelons

For years, Ken Rugara from Migori County was a fisherman, but the returns were depressing. In 2016, he was introduced to watermelon farming and he decided to give it a try.

“I used to sell fish before and it was a frustrating venture. I used to make Sh2,000 profit yet I had invested so much in it. One day, my friend Kimani opened my eyes. He took me through what it requires to be a watermelon farmer. That’s how I started,” he says.

After doing his homework, he launched the project.

“I started with an acre and pumped in inputs worth Sh60,000. I hired five people to help with tilling the land and planting,” says the 43-year old.

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To avoid blunders along the way, Oguda engaged his friend closely for advise. He says he learnt valuable lessons from that connection.

“After tilting the land, I apply compost manure-during planting, pump water from the lake into the farm, and then start applying pesticides when the seeds germinate, every week for a month. After that, I apply fertiliser then wait for harvesting,” he says.

From an acre, he has now expanded his farm to 3.5 acres. He has also increased his staff to 15. With time, he has developed a secure market network in major urban centres and sells up to 35 tonnes per harvest. He also sells the crop on wholesale to business people from Kisii town, Kisumu and Nairobi.

Each kilogrammes goes for Sh20 during a good season.

“For the three acres, I use a total of Sh160, 000 as capital and harvest tonnes of the fruit. My most recent harvest produced 35 tonnes which translates to Sh700, 000 if I sell at Sh20 per kg. However, depending on the weather, the cost per kg can rise up to Sh24,” he says.

Best varieties

With his prowess, farmers swarm his farm to learn best practise and best varieties to invest in.

There are several varieties of watermelon which can be planted in Migori’s loamy soil but Oguda grows Sukari F1, which is common in Kenya and is the sweetest.

Other varieties include, Asali F1, Charleston Grey, Andaman 631 F1, Crimson Sweet, Sweet Melon Galia F1, Congo, Moon and Stars, Golden Midget and Orangeglo.

Notably, Sukari F1, which Oguda grows, is known for its hard cover that makes it tolerant to pests and keeps it preserved for longer.

Asali F1 are green and oblong shaped. The fruits, which are usually large, take a minimum of 85 days to mature. Ideally, the variety has a yield potential of up to 40 tonnes per acre.

Where it grows

The crop does well in places with loam soil, constant high temperatures and reliable water supply.

These are predominantly all coastal areas more so Lamu County. The rich volcanic soils and high temperatures of semi-arid Kerio Valley, Isiolo, some parts of Garissa, Kirinyaga County, parts of Loitoktok with sufficient supply of water, Meru County, Machakos County and parts of Kajiado County are also ideal.

With proceeds from watermelon farming, the farmer has seen his life improve. He has bought several pieces of land in Migori County and built a permanent home for his family.

“My life has really changed. I have bought pieces of land, built a home and I’m comfortably paying school fees for my children. This is a good investment,” says the father of five.

His plan is to expand his farm and venture into value addition.

“My objective is to expand the plantation to create jobs for more youth. I would also like buy a machine which can process the fruit into juice, which is very nutritious,” Oguda says.

Nutritionists say watermelon is great for health as it has high water content which helps one stay hydrated for longer.

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