Generating Income out of Small Farms in Africa

This article was written by Allan Daka, and we find it very interesting and useful for our readers and those who wish to go into farming as a business venture.The article discusses means and ways to generate income out of a small farm.

Many have a wrong belief that money can only be made on a big and sophisticated farm.Small

Onion small farm in Accra, Ghana. ©2011 EnterpriseAfrik

farms have potential to give one a lot of money. In  fact they have an advantage over big farms in that running costs are low and affordable.

Below I discuss a few things you can do to make money on your small farm.

1. Ensure that there is a house and other basic infrastructures on your farm.The house can be made  cheaply using poles, mud and grass. This house will be used by a caretaker.The house can be made  on a budget of  $ 100 -or less if you do it yourself.

2. Ensure that there is enough water on the farm for use in irrigation and other such activities. Dig  a well or make a small dam.

3. Grow vegetables. Vegetables are easy to grow and are easy to sell.Such vegetables as rape and  tomatoes sell easily on markets.You do not need complicated irrigation equipment to do this.  A simple bucket can do the trick.

4. Keep village chickens. Village chicken, unlike their hybrid cousins, have a lot of advantages. Firstly,  they are resistant to many diseases.Secondly, you can easily keep them on a free range basis. This  means you do not need to spend a single dollar on buying feeds for them! However this makes them grow  slowly but if you are patient enough, you reap the rewards. Thirdly, on African markets, village chickens  fetch a higher price than  hybrid chickens.People love them for their taste.

5. Keep fish. Fish farming is not as complicated as many people think.All you need is a good source of water.If your small farm has a river, a stream or is swampy, you can easily create ponds for keeping fish.

Digging of ponds is no rocket science, but it is a good idea to consult fish farming experts in your  area for guidance.They will be glad to assist you.After digging the ponds, stock them with fish and in about  five months time, your fish will be ready for harvest.

There are many other activities you can do on a small farm but the above are good enough to help you make a living from your small African farm.