Building a Banana Paradise: Jenniffer Wamurutu’s Journey to Employ Others and Triple Her Harvests

In Taita-Taveta County, Kenya, Jenniffer Wamurutu’s banana trees soar above her as she strolls through a shaded path between them. 

“I love a green environment and flowers,” Jenniffer shares with a smile. “I’ve planted bananas everywhere. It makes me happy just to walk through my farm, I never worry when I’m here.” 

Jenniffer’s banana farm has long been her main source of income, allowing her to provide for her family and educate her two children. Today, it also provides jobs to two employees. But her farm hasn’t always flourished like it does today.  

Overcoming challenges

Jenniffer’s farming journey was marked by a series of interconnected challenges that nearly set her agricultural dreams off course. Exploitative brokers dominated the market, offering low prices that barely covered her costs. Market volatility added another layer of difficulty, with oversupply driving prices down to a mere KES 15 ($0.16 CAD) per kilogram, and significantly impacting her bottom line. Her initial approach of selling bananas in graded crates also resulted in substantial post-harvest losses, as lower-grade produce often went unsold or resulted in minimal returns.  

A changing tide

It wasn’t until Jenniffer became a member of Kwetu Sacco that her agribusiness began to take off. Through the sale of her produce, she managed to save. Through Kwetu Sacco, Jenniffer was able to access credit facilities, which she used to finance the digging of a borehole on her home farm, securing a reliable water source for both domestic use and irrigation. With access to water, she began to scale her business. 

In 2021, Jenniffer partnered with Tataba, a move that marked an even bigger turning point in her farming journey. Tataba provides farmers with training on good agricultural practices to produce appropriate qualities and quantities for target markets and supply rapid multiplication banana seedlings. It also aggregates bananas from farmers and supplies them to various buyers located within or outside the county at a predetermined price and quantity.  

Through Tataba’s training, Jenniffer learned modern banana farming techniques, including proper spacing (3×4 metres), soil preparation, organic fertilization, and efficient watering methods. Equipped with this knowledge, she prepared her land and planted her first batch of 100 tissue culture banana seedlings – a disease-free and higher yielding variety than traditional seedlings. 

With continued support, Jenniffer received a second batch of 50 seedlings, and within six months, her bananas began flowering. By the ninth month, she started harvesting, and by the twelfth month, every plant had produced fruit. Her thriving farm quickly caught the attention of neighbouring farmers, who were curious about her methods and the seedlings she was using. 

Within six months, her bananas began flowering. By the ninth month, she started harvesting, and by the twelfth month, every plant had produced fruit.

A new partnership with MEDA and Tabata

Encouraged by her success, Jenniffer expanded her plantation with additional seedlings provided by Tataba in partnership with MEDA’s Leveraging Equality for Gender-Inclusive Economic Development (LEGEND) project, funded by the Government of Canada. Through the partnership, she was able to make her purchases at a subsidized price of KES 85 ($0.91) per seedling compared to the standard charge of KES 135 ($1.44). She made the most of this opportunity, purchasing another 50 seedlings, and now proudly manages 250 banana plants on her farm. 

Beyond production, Tataba and MEDA have also supported Jenniffer and other farmers in building business skills. She was trained in financial recordkeeping, learning how to track expenses, revenues, and profits – key skills that have strengthened her agribusiness acumen. She also attends plant health clinics organized by Tataba and MEDA, where trained “plant doctors” help farmers diagnose crop diseases and recommend appropriate treatments. These clinics not only provide vital technical support but also serve as a learning platform for farmers to exchange ideas and solutions. 

A growing banana business

The results of Jenniffer’s efforts and her partnership with Tabata and MEDA speak for themselves. In May of 2024, Jenniffer sold 427 kilograms of bananas. One year later, that figure had more than tripled to 1,421 kilograms. As the market value for bananas fluctuated, she adapted by grading her harvest into 16 crates of Grade A bananas and three crates of Grade B bananas to ensure she maintains quality and earns better returns. Her consistent use of organic manure has also contributed to the large size and high quality of her bananas. 

Today, Jenniffer harvests an average of 1,000 kilograms of bananas each month. Her three acre farm generates enough income to cover all its operational costs, including her two workers’ salaries and electricity costs without ever dipping into her personal savings. 

“My heart brightens when I see my farm flourish,” Jenniffer reflects, as she walks through the green paradise she has created. Jenniffer is now supporting her family, providing jobs for others in her community, and inspiring a new generation of banana producers.