5 MIN READ

Getting started in the agricultural sector appears to be a challenging endeavor to most due to what we think are obstacles. The first being, not knowing where to start and thinking too much capital is required. However below we will look at how you can start farming with what you have today, and it won’t cost you much. It might only set you back a few months of saving.

To get started you will need some land, not necessarily a large farm but just some space in your backyard. Yes, even with that you can start farming produce.

So, what will be your major cost?

A small tank, even a 200 litre tank (fuel drum size), some PVC pipes, driplines, a filter, connectors and some fertiliser. That’s it, you can start your project. Setting up a gravity fed drip irrigation system for a small project is not a difficult task, most people can manage this on their own after some instruction. However, if you need an expert to set it up for you, we have one in-house.

Driplines are relatively cheap and our entry-level dripline usually costs around US$13 for 100 metres. On average it lasts for 2-3 years given how you handle it and is UV treated for longevity. Longer lasting ones are also available, and some can have a life of up to 7 years!

The best thing about driplines is that your labour cost is significantly reduced because you don’t have to hire workers to water your crop. Nowadays 1 person can water a whole ha (hectare), talk about convenience!! It’s as simple as turning a tap on & off to water the whole field. Which saves you time and money.  

Our driplines are also scientifically calibrated per each hole, so if it’s a 1.6L per hour that means that’s exactly how much water will be discharged. This makes it ideal for planning on how many times a day you will water the crop according to its water requirements. Gone are the days of flooding the whole field and hoping that each plant has received sufficient water. It’s precise and efficient which will greatly cut your water cost. If you have to poke holes in the dripline by yourself, then that’s not a dripline!

Expanding your field

If you started with a small area of say 200 square metres and you want to expand the area to an acre, you won’t have to start from scratch. You can get some add-on’s which will include drip lines, PVC pipes, a few connectors, a filter, and a larger tank (if you don’t already have one). As you grow you can expand in stages at your own pace.

So don’t worry about starting small thinking you’ll have to get a new system for expansion. Just make sure you mention that you might want to expand in the future so that you get the correct irrigation supplies and make the necessary provisions. 

The agricultural sector is not impossible to enter even if you are a small scale urban farmer and it certainly doesn’t have to break the bank. As you grow you can scale up slowly until you reach full capacity. If you need assistance, we are here to help. All the best in your new venture.

Contributor – L. Nyambuya