Introduction

Commercial horticultural farmers in Kenya grow the following crops. Fruits like; mangoes, pineapples, avocados, mangoes, oranges, pears, and plums. Flowers like; roses, turnips, orchids, lilies, and carnations.
Vegetables like; tomatoes, onions, French beans, cucumbers, eggplants, sweet peppers, chili peppers, lettuce, and spinach.

Opportunities

Availability of goat rearing space.High demand for goat’s milk.Availability of goat’s semen at CAIS.High nutritional and medicinal value of goat’s milk. Highly trained personnel are available. Credit facilities are available.

Benefits:

  • When the products are exported, they earn the country foreign exchange and the farmer some income.
  • Some of the products are sold as food in urban centres, thus growing local economies
  • It provides employment to people in the farming areas.
  • It reduces the amount of food items the farmers have to buy from other sources..

Features

  • Farms are generally small in size/few large ones.
  • Intensive use of land for maximum productivity.
  • Mostly done under greenhouses, especially for flowers.
  • Use of irrigation water.
  • Labour intensive needed. Capital intensive invested to build greenhouses, buy inputs, and install facilities.
  • It is export-oriented. Involves advanced research/modern farming for high quality yields. Located in areas with good and reliable transport network as produce is highly perishable