How to Get a Loan for Greenhouse Tomato Farming
Seminis helps Kenyan Farmers Invest in Greenhouse Tomato Production
Each year, farmers in East Africa struggle from a shortage of tomatoes. Devastating rains cause the problem, and the fruit shortage causes tomato prices to shoot drastically higher. Seminis is answering East African farmers’ call for help by finding a solution to this devastating issue: growing tomatoes in a greenhouse.
“I strongly believe this is the way forward for enhanced food security and farmer incomes,” says Peter Francombe, Seminis Africa Lead and General Manager in East Africa who has been a major contributor in moving this project forward.
Francombe says the project is a combined effort with the Kenya Horticulture Development Programme (KHDP), which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid). The role of Seminis is to teach growing practices and supply hybrid tomato seed to farmers. KHDP sponsors the greenhouse and drip irrigation for farmers’ operations.
Here’s how it works: Kenya farmers who have an available 240 square meters of land are funded with $1,700 to install greenhouses and drip irrigation. The farmers’ contribution to the project is concrete and labor. Then, Seminis provides growers with seeds—a variety called ANNA—fertilizers, chemicals and technical backup. Seminis provides education on growing practices at field days to farmers.
EMEA Vice President Dieter Holtz estimates that farmers in East Africa increase their returns by about 500 percent through this project.
“On 240 square meters, farmers can bring in 10 times more yield than on open-field and open-pollinated (OP) varieties, and the growing window expands to the rainy season, where prices for fresh tomatoes in the market increase three-fold,” he explains. Holtz also says there’s an environmental benefit. “Besides increasing yields and gaining year-round supply, less water is used through drip irrigation and less chemicals due to the controlled environments.”
In addition to the business benefit, participants also have a humanitarian goal in mind. “We hope we can change the tomato market in Kenya and other African countries, drastically increasing the standard of living of farmers and playing an important role in improving the diet of the population,” Holtz says.
Already, with only five greenhouses, Francombe says the project has reached more than 3,000 farmers directly at field days. An additional 10,000 farmers have learned about production practices through newspapers, other media outlets and the sales team. “Now is the hard work to reach them with the seed and funding to set up the greenhouses,” Francombe explains.
has continued to move the project forward and has started the introduction of the concept into Ethiopia with USAid. With the contacts and network that has already been made, Seminis could also reach out to Tanzania and Uganda in the near future.
Seminis Kenyan contacts will come soon here…
I have peace of land which is too small for planting crops that can sustain the family for a year. i hope to engage in smart farming and greenhouse is the ideal solution for me.
How may i get a loan to put up the greenhouse what is the mode or repayment and for how long
Hello Ken, the article appearing here is a Little outdated but you can get a loan through Equity, Cooperative and Kenya women Finance trust. They have a agreement with Amiran Kenya which supplies the Green house kits… visit one of the banks in your area..
Kindly advice on how to get a loan to start a green house on my piece of land in the Dry area of Voi.
Hallo.Am an Agricultural Officer In Samburu n am very excited about what you guys are dioing.I will b very gland to sell this whole idea to farmers from this end.However,the information you have given here about funding is very little.Why not give directions on what else one requires other than land,such as security for the loan if it is a requirement.Am also interested with setting one or two greenhouses back at home in Embu.Kindly,please inform me on this through email.Samburu is far n coming all the way to Nairobi is not usually easy.
THANKZ.
I have a potential land and a river is only 20mtrs down hill my farm need to start green house project, kindly advice me way forward. My Area is semi-arid and the nearest town is 40km away. I need a greenhouse proposal to go on side to side with my ziro grazing
There’s a company in Kenya which offers advice on greenhouse construction/set up. check out http://www.imsaconsortium.com and you may drop then a line at info@imsaconsortium.com
I am a member of a group which formed from a community which used to live on poaching and charcoal burning.GVI is trying to capacity-build the group so that they become ambassadors of animal and environment protection from the community.
What led us lead that kind of life is poverty cose rain is unreliable there but the land is fertile.Green house farming can easily be adopted by this community especially starting with the group and it will change their livelihood.What assistance can we get from your organisation?
Thanks.
John.
ADVICE ME ON THE PROCESS TO GET FUNDING FOR GREENHOUSE ON A 240Sq.m. PLOT
CAN YOU FUND ME FOR THE GREENHOUSE FOR A PLOT OF 240sq.metres?
Hi I have read your such a good information in deed. I have a piece of land and would like to put up a green house for tomatoes, how do i access this fund and any other technical advise?
WHAT PROSSES DO I FOLLOW TO ACESS YOUR GREEN HOUSE FUNDING? I HAVE THE REQUIRED 240 SQ.METRES PIECE OF LAND IN S/W SEME, KISUMU RURAL, AT AKADO MARKET.
wish l could get a greenhouse coz with it the whole community will benefit please advise me further
This is a very good idea. I an sure that African countries are going to develop faster if only people would be advised properly on how to go about it. What a noble idea!
I have a piece of land and I would like to put up a green house. Please advice on how I can get access to the loans.
Regards
Linet
hi ave some land water and labor,. can you fund me to contract a green house to plant tomatoes?
I have some land about 100km from Nairobi and there is water readily available. Please advise on the process to get funding for buiding greenhouses.
thanks.
I want to know the procedures involved in accessing the greenhouse tomato farming loans. Currently I’ve constructed one along the Lake Victoria kisumu and i’ve planted capsicum but i need another one so please advise.
Thanks.
am interested in greenhouse. i have land good source of water and labor. am lacking material to construct a green house . can you finance me in loan to come out this brackets
We are working on this, we will be sending you an email with details on how to set up a green house.
Hi Bert,
I own atleast a 1 acre land in Nyanza Province in Siaya District, 7 km from Siaya town. The land is very suitable for green house farming. I have done a bore hole, installed electricity and submerssible water pump. I have water tanks with lots of water. I need your technical advice and a loan to kickstart farming. Kindly assist.
hello, am a horticulturist by profession and got 10 acres of land near Kaptagat near Eldoret which i want to embark on a variety of vegetables but majorly on start up tomato greenhouse farming. Kindly advise on way forward
Hi Bert,
Congratulations for the good work.
I have a group of farmers in Kisumu Kenya who are community health workers and the majority are women who volunteer their services to the community. I teach them sustainable Agriculture techniques using locally available materials but we have run out of funds currently but I don’t want them to get stuck.. Recently they saw a greenhouse and believes it would be the ideal way to improve their tomato production given the erratic weather conditions; floods and drought that greatly affect the production. They have a demonstration area of 300 meters squared.
I believe you are doing a great job. Is it possible that you can give them a loan for a greenhouse?
Regards,
Debra
hi bert
i have been contemplating of starting a greenhouse farming for quite sometime but i have been held back by finances. could you please advise me on how to access the loan facility
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have a land and near a year round river flowing with water,please let me know the procedure of acquiring this loan.
Location Kangundo District.
Alois
Hi Bert,
Interested in the getting a loan for my green house project. I have tried getting in touch with semenis using the e-mail address mica.m.veihman@seminis.com but it seems to be invalid. could you kindly assist with another contact.
Am a teacher here at Nairobi. My wife stays at Kitale on my small farm which can hold about three greenhuoses. She has interest in green farming through my inspiration . Please give advise.
Hi!
My little brother and I are just stating off a new farm in Bungoma and our mother has given us an acre to start off immediately. I have experience working with small-scale farmers and students in organic agriculture and this would just be what I have been waiting for! I have been considering putting up a mtumba (second hand) greenhouse in the coming two months but I guess this would be more useful. We would love to pioneer in Bungoma area.
Please serve me with the details immediately.
Hi Bert
Am a student at Jomo Kenyatta university and my dad is a farmer in Makueni district. He produces tomatoes and has a 3ha garden. He however hasnt been able to start greenhouse production due to financial restrictions because what he gets mostly goes 2 my university fees. I read about u guys and talked to him then asked me 2 try to contact you and see how u can please help us. He lives near a river so water isnt a big problem. His contacts are +254 733655903. He doesnt have an email address and my contacts are +254 720906629. please i kindly request u help us and look forward to your response.
Kennedy Mackenzie
Hallo,
I have about one acre of land and water is accessible at Maseno in Kisumu, Nyanza Province. I am very interested in greenhouse farming and would like to know how I can be assited in terms of funds and technical advice. I have read your article and can provide whatever extra item is needed during construction. I look forward to your response to help us go green round the year.
Carolyne.
I am working on that Caro will let you know.
I have 30 acre land at Lukenya,25 km from Nairobi City. The land is however in a dry zone.The initial stage first of all is to get water to start greenhouse project . Can Seminis assist in any way. I am willing to use the benefits gotten from tomato sales to repay.
Hello Bert,
I have just finished pursuing an environmental science degree from Kenyatta University, Kenya and I am interested in initiating Greenhouse farming in Nyamira District, Kenya. kindly advice me from the source/place where i can source funds from. I have plenty of land which i intend to manage sustainably by initiating Tomato and horticultural farming.
Thank you
Hi Bert,
I have been interested in the green house project for about a year now, and the only thing i lack is the knowledge and information about how to go about the whole thing. Is it possible to see you personally at your offices along Mombasa road ? I would really appreciate your insights on this.
Contact Elizabeth Mranda on the lines below for more details..hey and while on it remember to tell me your progress
Office contact : +254 20 2060922/44
Fax: +254 20 8233086 / 3574300
Hi Bert,
Very interesting and well written article indeed. Do you know if Seminis is still offering start-up finances for greenhouse tomato farming? Is there a site/forum you can recommend with up-to-date info on greenhouse farming in Kenya? Thanks.
Contact Elizabeth Mranda on the lines below for more details..hey and while on it remember to tell me your progress
Office contact : +254 20 2060922/44
Fax: +254 20 8233086 / 3574300
currently i do not know of any forum but just so i can be of help. we can start one here..what you do,just post questions and comments here and i can try to find like minded people.how about that?
Hi.am interested in greenhouse tomatoes and horticulture farming and i have already started greenhouse farming on a 240m square piece of land which is doing very well.Am located in Ruiru, 20 kilometers from Nairobi.I still have 1 hectare which i want to expand the project .please advice me on how to get funding from seminis or how i can contact Mr Peter Francombe.Thank you.
hello Dan,
seminis is located at …
Tuskys head office complex
Mombasa Road
P.O. Box 47686, 00100 Nairobi
Cell: +254 722 205294/529, +254 733 600 468/629 414
try and see if this conatcts will work
I am a young farmer interested in getting the funding since I have enough land in Kakamega Kenya. Kindly advice
Hi. am very excited about this farming initiative. i have a plot around 240m by 100m in Nyanza. how can we as a group get to benefit from this noble initiative?
I have some space please advise on the prosedure to get funds for green house construction
i have some land please advise on the process to get funding for buiding greenhouses.
thanks
Hello Agatha I hope this reply is in time enough. The email address of seminis contact person is mica.m.veihman@seminis.com his name is Mica Veihman if this is not helpfull let me know.
hello Agatha,
my rendezvous on the net landed me on these guys called send a cow..if you can reach out to them and see what will yield.. http://www.sendacow.org.uk