Cucumber farming has become a highly lucrative venture for farmers in Kiambu County, offering a rapid return on investment due to the high demand in urban markets, hotels and supermarkets.
Farmers say that cucumbers are slowly turning into green gold noting that they are generating high proceeds from the crop that has a short maturity period of 40 to 60 days.
Cucumbers are widely preferred for their high water content, nutritional value and health benefits associated with hydration and wellness.
The farmers in Kahero village, Kikuyu constituency, assert that besides enhancing food security and creating job opportunities, cucumber farming has significantly turned around their fortunes and improved their economic status.
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Joyce Nyaruiru, the leader of Kahero farmers group, said in an interview that farmers in the area are already overstretched by the demand for cucumbers.
She averred that there’s always a year-round demand for the crop due to constant consumption in households and a booming hospitality industry which keep the market active.
“Cucumbers are surely becoming our green gold. The market is ready with better prices of not less than Ksh 100 per kilogram and we actually cannot meet the demand. Adoption of this farming has empowered farmers economically, created jobs and boosted our fortunes,” Nyaruiru said.
Farmer Samuel Gikonyo noted that farmers in the area have adopted greenhouse cultivation which has proven to be the best method to yield high quality cucumbers.
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He pointed out that they are currently cultivating English cucumbers which usually fetch premium prices in the markets.
“Although open field farming method is budget-friendly and can thrive in rural and peri urban areas, we have decided to farm our cucumbers in greenhouses to control pests and diseases as well as protect our crops from harsh weather. We realized that controlling pests and diseases has been eating into our proceeds,” Gikonyo said.
For Samuel Gikonyo, another farmer in the area, the venture has changed his outlook on farming entirely.
“Before this, farming felt like a struggle. Now I can comfortably support my family and even employ young people during planting and harvesting seasons. The income is much better compared to what we earned before,” he said.
Cucumber farming in the area has been actualized through a partnership between the Korean Program for International Cooperation in Agriculture Technology (KOPIA) and the Kiambu County Government.
KOPIA, which has initiated diverse agriculture programmes designed to help smallholder farmers across the country, has been in the forefront in training farmers on modern farming technologies and latest agricultural practices aimed at increasing productivity and improving household incomes.
KOPIA Kenya Director Dr. Ji Gang Kim said the programme is focused on equipping farmers with practical skills that guarantee quality production and sustainable farming.
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“Our goal is not only to teach farming techniques but to instill life values such as responsibility, innovation, and self-reliance. Agriculture should not be seen as a fallback plan but as a viable, modern profession that can secure livelihoods and feed communities,” he said.
Farmers are trained on proper crop management, irrigation, pest control and post-harvest handling to ensure they produce high-quality cucumbers that meet market standards.
He noted that agriculture remains one of the strongest tools for improving rural livelihoods and enhancing food production if farmers are supported with the right knowledge and technologies.
Kiambu County Chief Officer for Agriculture Benson Njogore said that the county government will help the farmers with new market linkages as well as extension services to enable them maximise their production and eke high proceeds from their venture.
He at the same time called on youths to embrace modern farming as an alternative for employment noting that farming holds the key to their economic freedom and stability.
By John Kamau
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