Want to become an agricultural tourist in Kenya?

Agrotourism by Mwangi Mumero You have always wanted to know how a specific crop is grown with an aim of introducing it to your home area. You have always wanted to know more about the Ankole cattle in Uganda, understand the goings-on of the flower sector, experience the growing, processing and milling of tea or coffee or how rabbits and chicken are raised processed and sold? Well, agro-tourism provides farmers and agro-enthusiasts the chance to experience all that- a fee. A new concept in Kenya, agro-tourism has gained prominence and is now a must-have for local and international tourists visiting the country. At the same time, firms specializing in this form of tourism are also taking Kenyans to visit regional countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda and further a field to South Africa, Netherlands, Belgium and Israel. “Agrotourism has developed an interest in farmers seeking for more profitable ways of farming and as a result, it has become a sustainable business. We have provided a platform for farmers to interact, exchange and learn new skills from professional small and large scale farmers”, notes Leah Njoroge, a youthful chief executive officer of Zuru Africa Safaris Limited , a 9- years tour company that specializes in Agrotourism. The company organizes tours to agricultural research institutes, farm equipments factories, processing factories, tractor dealers, local markets as well as coffee and tea production areas in East Africa. They will also take you to fish farms, rabbit farms, and wheat, rice and barley farms, let you visit and interact with potato, cassava and sweet potato farmers and give you a chance to taste honey as you talk to both small scale and large scale bee keepers. “Our tours are tailor made considering the interest of our clients. From product our clients decide to choose, most of our trips can be done throughout the year. For those traveling to Europe, our trips are dictated by the seasons”, she adds All the packages are inclusive from accommodation, meals, ground fees and transport, airport to airport. If the farmers (visitors) were picked from point for instance Nyeri they will be brought back to the same venue after the trip. For those interested in mushrooms, they will be able to visit and interact with farmers. Flower farms are also a major attraction and provide the bulk of visitors especially from Europe where over 80 per cent of flowers produced in the country are marketed. Dairy and beef cattle production, sisal and pineapple estates at the Coat and Central Kenya will also give a visitor a chance to learn on aspects of their production. Depending on the interest of the visitors-farmers- the itinerary will take you to dairy farms in Kericho and Nyandarua; cereal farming in Narok, Timau and Mwea regions, tea farms in Kericho, fish farming in Dominion farm in Western and Sagana fisheries among other regions. The company has a total permanent staff of six members. However, they contract drivers and professional guides depending on demand. The company owns two small cars, three tour vans and a 23- seater bus which are available for renting throughout the year. “We work closely with successful farmers across the country. Some charge the visitors to enter and learn from their farm while others do not prefering to use the chance to network with prospective customers of their products”, said Ms Njoroge, a diploma in tourist management holder. Previously, Ms Njoroge was a mountain guide having climbed all the important peaks in the continent including Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro. Specifically, the company organizes a 3-day local tour, a 7- day local tour and a major foreign tour to the Netherlands. Charges levied depend on the hoteliers, farm ground fees and Kenya Wildlife Service fee together with other touristic attractions charges. At a cost of Ksh 13,000 per person sharing, a visitor will be able to interact with the dairy sector at Brookside factory in Ruiru, visit macadamia farms, rabbit farms, coffee farms and factories and horticultural farms mainly in Central Kenya and Central Rift. The tour will allow farmers to visit farms in Thika, Nyeri, Sagana fisheries, chicken farms in Nyeri, Nakuru and Naivasha. In Naivasha, visitors will also tour Keroche industries and learn first hand how barley is finally converted to alcoholic products. The longer 7-day tour costing around Ksh 112,000 ( $1240) per person sharing is more ambitious taking visitors to Amiran Kenya for horticulture products, Del Monte for pineapple growing and processing , Suera Farm in Nyahururu and Cereal Board of Kenya godowns in Nakuru. This package also incorporates a visit to tourist sites like the Aberdare and Nakuru National Parks. The Netherlands tour will cost the farmer at least Ksh 260,000 which will include transportation, hotel accommodation, meals, guide and a few other services. Structured in days, the Dutch tour will allow visitors to see the fame Dutch Flower Auction, interact with tractor dealers, and learn about biogas installation and windmill technologies as well as seeking ideas on mushroom farming. “Beyond the agriculture sites, visitors will also visit tourism attractions in Netherlands as well as conducting business on agricultural inputs”, she adds. For it to reach a bigger farming client base, the company has embarked on serious public relations through online advertising via Website as well as promotional materials such as D.V.D, C.DS, magazines, brochures ,fliers, direct emails and word of mouth. “We attend agricultural trade fairs across the country, farmer’s forums and other avenues to pass the message across. Over the years, we have established a very good support from successful farms where we take our visitors to get first hand experiences”. However, Njoroge laments that lack of financial resources to promote agrotours locally and internationally is one of the major challenges. “Few farmers have enough expertise knowledge in farming practices, meaning we do not have enough professional farms to show case. At the same time, climate change, deforestation and desertification has slowly affecting farming”, observes Njoroge, who created the company from the scratch to its current status. (ends) Contacts Information Company offices are located on; Garden Estate off Thika Rd, Mukima Drive Tembo Sacco Building P.0 Box 7969-00200 Nairobi. Tel +254 20 2349509 Tel/Fax +254 20 8565033 Cell+254 720302218/+254 735889350 www.zuruafricasafaris.com