It dawned on Ms. Hakule Dida that farming right has great potential to earn more after attending commercialization campaigns by Farm Concern International under the Agro-pastoralist Commercialization and Markets in Northern Kenya Programme supported by Tearfund.

After adoption of green grams farming in April 2015, she harvested 175 kgs from one acre. She sold 150 kgs at 110 per Kg earning Kshs 16,500 (USD 165); the highest she has ever made from her one acre piece of land. “I did not know green grams have such a high profit margins. I will now reduce production of other crops and increase land under green grams in October season,” she said

Ms. Hakule being assisted by members of Dirib Gombo Commercial Village to plant green grams

Before FCI began implementing the programme in Marsabit County, Ms Dida was growing maize and beans. The one acre under maize production would yield a total of 210Kgs. She would sell 100kgs at a value of KES 3,000 (USD 30).The other half was under beans producing a total of 150 kgs. She would sell 70 kgs at KES 50/kg fetching her Ksh 3500 (USD 35). In total, she would make Kshs 6,500 (USD 65). FCI in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture introduced N26 green grams variety to the farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture also supplied 350Kgs to the farmers. Ms. Hakule Dida received 2kgs of the high quality variety. 

From the sales she made, she paid off a group loan worth KES 6,200 (USD 62) and restocked her village shop with stock valued at KES 5,500 (USD 55). Ms Hakule did not incur the Kshs 900 (USD 9.06) cost of transport to Marsabit town that she used to spend travelling to sell maize and beans at Marsabit town. This is because FCI linked her to a buyer who went to the village to buy the green grams.

Ms. Hakule has become a model farmer in Dirib Gombo Commercial Village and plans to use proceeds from sale of green grams in the next to lease a two acre piece of land to plant green grams.