Page 153 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Kilele F1 tomatoes before start of harvest from
Ochakolong’s demo plot.

everyone was staying home due to COVID-19 restrictions,
Ochakolong decided to stay on campus. He hired land
from the school at 50 000 shillings (approximately $14)
per acre and set up two acres of pumpkin, two acres of
maize and 0.5 acres of Kilele F1 tomato variety. He has so
far earned: four million shillings (approximately $1111)
from the pumpkins, with each one costing about 1000
shillings ($0.02); 700,000 shillings (approximately $194)
from the tomatoes of which 1000kg were sold; and 600
000 shillings (approximately $166) from the okra, a bucket
which cost 15 000 shillings ($4.1) each. He plans to mill his
maize and feed it to the chickens he is rearing.

Making use of his experience from Acila’s support and
the knowledge gained from his agricultural degree,
Ochakolong has trained over 200 farmers through
his social media platforms including Facebook and
WhatsApp. He also mentors five farmers, each of whom
have earned one million shillings (approximately $277.70)
this year from their produce of tomatoes, watermelons
and eggplants.

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