Mkulima Young Champion - Jobless teacher (30) who built 'meat empire'

Jobless teacher who built multi-million 'meat empire' in Thika

"From a meare salary of Sh 5,000 a month, six years ago, young Kimani's (30 years of age) assets are worth few millions, and still counting"

A teaching job interview that saw Francis Kimani compete for one post with another 60 graduates was the only thing he needed to know he was not meant to live off teaching, his area of training.

He had graduated with a Bachelor of Education degree (Kiswahili and History) from Kenyatta University in 2008 and gotten a Board of Governors (BOG) teaching job at Ngoliba Sec School. He earned Sh 5,000 a month and his take home was between Sh 2,500 and Sh 3,500 after transport deduction!

But six years later, Kimani is worth more than Sh 50Million with a monthly income of about Sh 40,000. His wife, a full time manager at the farm, is also paid a similar amount every month.

"The interview in my own school really disappointed me. I was already teaching there but the person who got the job had graduated 10 years before me. I decided the Teachers Service Commission(TSC) job was the wrong dream to chase," says Kimani.

His farm at Munyu, 20 kilometres from Thika town is an apt example of a meat empire built in under six years.

In the farm, there are 202 goats, 93 cows, 56 kienyenji chicken and 17 boran cattle.

"I chose to farm meat animals because the demand for meat is high. It can only grow higher with growing population and shrinking herds in many farms," he says.

At his backyard, Kimani has three vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz and several rental houses in the outskirts of Thika Town, all estimated to be worth millions of shillings.

"I started by leasing ten acres of land. Since then, I have bought several lands. I bought this farm," he explains.

The breeds at Kimani's farm are cross breeds as they give better yields. His goats weigh between 35 and 65 kilos while his fat boran cattle from Garissa weigh about 250 kilograms. "The cattle sell at Sh 60,000. The goats fetch about Sh 10,000. I normally sell my animals in intervals of three months," he explains.

He adds, "As a youth, I thought my education should help me know how I can live a better life not just to get a formal job. The obsession with formal jobs is a misconception that is eating our youth," advises.

Kimani believes there will be an agribusiness explosion in the coming years and encourages the youth to see farming as the next big thing. "Population in towns is increasing and demand is rising. There is no way agricultural produce will miss market in the near future," he confidently says.