Our goats and birds took us to top of the charts

Some sang, while others ululated as they exchanged greetings and hugs in joy.

The group of eight people, mainly workers and some family members, had gathered at Saada Farm owned by the Mohdhar Family in Kilifi last Sunday to celebrate their winning of the overall award in the Small-Scale Farming Category at the Mombasa International Show a fortnight ago.

A goat, sheep and 10 cocks were slaughtered for the celebrations.

The four-acre farm run by brothers Mohdhar Mohammed (43) and Mohammed Ahmed (41), the sons for former Mombasa Mayor Ahmed Abubakar Mohdhar, hosts goats, sheep and ornamental birds.

The brothers also grow capsicum, egg plants, amaranth, bullet chillies, okra, tomatoes, bananas and watermelon under irrigation.

The horticulture business sits on three acres while the rest is under birds and animals.

During the show, the brothers, who were first time exhibitors, won 32 trophies to become the overall top farmers at the Coast.

“This is the highest achievement we have so far received. We did not expect to win any trophy since our aim there was to market our animals and crops. It came as a surprise that we scooped 32 trophies,” said Mohdhar of their 18-month-old venture that has employed six workers.

Their farm is divided into two sections, one for the plants and another for livestock. The plant section is further divided into different parts to host the variety of crops.

They scooped most of the awards because of the health and size of their animals, birds and crops.

They said integration has helped them because crops benefit from animals and vice-versa when it comes to feeding and using manure.

While they harvest and sell the crops, the animals are a parent stock, which they are using for breeding. The brothers keep 60 German Alpine and Toggenburg goats and a flock of 10 Blackhead Persian sheep.

“We chose the goat breeds because they are good for milk producers and have market,” said Mohdhar of the business into, which they pumped Sh4 million.

The animals, which are sprayed twice a month to eliminate ticks because they are kept under the free-range system, have a vet on standby.

“Our aim is to breed quality animals for the market. Therefore, they must be checked regularly to ensure they are free of diseases for us to get good market,” said Ahmed as he watched a veterinary doctor inject an animal suffering from pneumonia.

The brothers have not started selling the animals but have orders for January next year, which they got at the Mombasa show.

“We don’t zero-graze our animals because we do not like seeing them in confinement. Besides, sheep and goats do not do well in confinement. Apart from grass, we also offer them fodder and dairy meal,” Ahmed, the quiet of the two, stated, adding that they would sell the animals at between Sh8,000 and Sh10,000.

About that time, the animals would have reached close to 100.

At the poultry farm, they keep mainly ornamental birds that include Ameraucana chicken, 40 fantail pigeons, three Brahma chicken, three geese, three peacocks and 10 silky chickens.

Just like the animals, the brothers are currently breeding the birds, which they feed on wheat, sorghum, peanuts and maize bran.

“When it comes to management, ornamental birds are no different from the other poultry. They too require nests for laying eggs and brooding.”

They went for the exotic birds because there is less competition and they have a high market value.

“We imported our breeds from India and bought others from an Italian farmer who was leaving the country for home,” said Mohdhar.

Their costs vary depending on the type and age. A mature peacock would go for between Sh80,000 and Sh150,000, being the most expensive while the others from Sh1, 500 to 15,000.

“The price for silky chicken would be around Sh1,500 while we will sell bantams at Sh4,000,” he explained.

Among the diseases they guard against are newcastle, gumboro, coccidiosis and fowl pox.

At the horticultural farm, amaranth is their money-maker as they sell up to 50kg daily at the Mackinon market in Mombasa town, earning between Sh90,000 and Sh120,000 every month. 

The brothers said they learned new methods of planting, irrigation and the best seeds that are suitable for the Coast climate at the agricultural trade fair.

“We were overwhelmed by the huge orders. Frankly, we do not need further marketing but only to increase our parent stock,” said Mohdhar, adding, “Some prominent farmers even requested us to manage their farms and also give them advice on the best practices to earn from farming.”

One of their biggest challenges is that they are learning on the job.

“We have never been farmers before but we have the passion. So we have to keep the services of agricultural experts close,” said Ahmed, noting their father funded the purchase of the farm.

Mtwapa Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation director, Dr Michael Njunie, said agri-expos provide farmers the best avenue to learn new technologies and good practices from their peers.

“The farmers are also exposed to information that is shared from various institutions that do research. They get opportunity at a competitive environment to market themselves and advertise their products.”

He added that the good thing with mixed farming is that the product from the crops can become feeds while the waste from the animals organic manure.