Josphat Muiru Kimani has no regrets about his decision to pursue farming, a path inspired by his deep love for cows, having been raised in a family of peasant farmers. On his farm in Githunguri, Kiambu County, Muiru cultivates a variety of crops, including tomatoes, coffee, sugarcane, and arrowroots, and is renowned as one of the major milk and coffee producers in the region.
His farming journey began with a single cow, which eventually grew to a herd of 50 pedigree cows. The foundation for his farming career was laid early on by his father, a successful dairy farmer in the area. A visit to a farming exhibition in Nairobi further honed his agricultural skills, and in 2000, Muiru established his own farm with a clear ambition to build a name for himself.
Though his business took time to generate a substantial income, by 2005, he had become the third-largest milk producer in Githunguri, producing 320 liters of milk per day. However, when milk prices plummeted due to cheap feeds, he made the tough decision to exit the dairy business. With his 50 pedigree cows, Muiru transitioned to coffee farming.
Yet, his passion for cows was undeniable, and within a few years, he returned to dairy farming. Today, he breeds cows and sells them to farmers across the country. He currently milks six cows, with the most productive cow yielding 30 liters of milk daily. Each liter is sold for Sh 50.
The volume of milk produced by each cow depends on its calving date. When his herd grows large, he sells some of the cows to reduce production costs, with each animal fetching up to Sh 250,000. “That price isn’t very high considering the milk they produce, and some of them are pedigrees that took time to develop,” Muiru explained.
To enhance milk production, he feeds his cows nappier grass, supplemented with dairy meal and maize germ.
In addition to his dairy farming, Muiru also manages a coffee farm where he grows the disease-resistant Ruiru grafted variety. He uses organic manure from his cows to fertilize the coffee plants and ensures high yields by applying foliar sprays. Each coffee tree can produce over 20 kg of beans, which he sells at Sh 170 per kilogram.
