Biz Lounge: How I started my profitable soil testing business in Nakuru

Grace Kwamboka never imagined she would end up in agriculture.

She had always pictured herself working in an office, handling supply chain logistics for an organization after completing her Procurement degree.

But life had other plans. 

However, in 2021, Kwamboka came across a program seeking young people to collect data from farmers. She applied and was successful, working in the role for a year.

When the project ended, she was absorbed as an agripreneur. 

"After the project ended, I was given an opportunity to work as an agripreneur in 2022. We were trained on how to use soil testing kits, and that’s how my journey began," she recalls. 

Although she had the option to return to her field of study, Kwamboka found joy in working with farmers.

Being a farmer herself, she saw an opportunity to grow her own venture while addressing challenges she also faced. 

"As a farmer, I struggled with declining productivity each year. I realized that many farmers, I included, couldn’t even remember the last time they had tested their soil," she says. 

Before conducting soil testing, Kwamboka believed she was using enough fertilizer, basing her practices on what other farmers were doing.

However, the test results revealed that her soil required a higher amount of fertilizer than she had been applying. This insight helped her make more informed decisions to improve her farm’s productivity.

To support her work, Kwamboka was given a portable soil testing kit, which not only helped her conduct tests but also became a source of income.

However, gaining farmers’ trust wasn’t easy, as many had been scammed in the past, paying for soil tests and never receiving results. 

"At first, farmers were sceptical because they had been conned before. I had to convince them that my tests would provide results within 24 hours or less," she explains. 

Over time, Kwamboka built trust and expanded her reach, working with farmers in Nakuru and as far as Kirinyaga.

The most rewarding part of her job, she says, is hearing from farmers who see improved yields after following soil test recommendations. 

Kwamboka explains that when she meets a farmer, she starts by asking about their production trends over the years and identifying other factors contributing to reduced productivity. 

"Most farmers struggle with declining soil fertility due to continuous mono-cropping, which depletes essential nutrients," she says. 

To assess soil health, Kwamboka employs various sampling techniques, including diagonal, zigzag, end-to-end, and random sampling. She emphasizes the importance of covering the entire farm for accurate results. 

"Regardless of the method I use, I ensure the samples are taken from one end of the farm to the other. This guarantees an accurate assessment of soil fertility and allows me to provide the right recommendations," she says. 

Based on the test results, her recommendations may include increasing fertilizer application, selecting the appropriate fertilizer type, practicing intercropping or applying lime to correct soil acidity.

Kwamboka charges Sh. 1,050 per acre for soil testing, and says that demand continues to grow. Looking ahead, she hopes to purchase more kits to create employment opportunities for young people in the county.  

"This is a viable source of income, especially for young people in the agricultural sector. I hope to acquire more testing kits to empower youth and meet the high demand," she says.