About Martin
Martin Sure Ondiwa is a 21-year-old university student who is pursuing his undergraduate degree in land surveying at the Technical University of Kenya in Nairobi. He has always considered himself to be entrepreneurial. Having grown up in an agricultural family, Martin’s love for farming was nurtured from an early age. While his peers used their pocket money to buy snacks, he used it to buy his first chicken knowing that if he took care of it, the chicken would produce eggs he could sell and make more money than he was given. He believes that farming, especially at scale and in partnership with smallholder farmers has the potential to uplift communities.
Transition into Entrepreneurship
After noticing his love for farming while he was in primary school, Martin’s mother was instrumental in channeling Martin’s entrepreneurial endeavours. She gave him a small piece of land and he used it to plant maize and made a profit. After noticing that he could be successful, he grew green grams and groundnuts and was able to buy his first cow. Achieving all these milestones at such a young age, taught him that young people need the courage to execute anything in life and that it is never too early to start. He merged his love for entrepreneurship and agriculture and 15 years later, he is the founder of Greenfarms.
Business Profile
Martin’s Greenfarms produces and sells fresh fruits to consumers and vendors. His most popular products are kale, cassava, maize and onions, which are sold in Migori county where the farm is located. Capsicum, pawpaws, and passion fruits are the other products that have a wider market in Homa Bay and Kisii counties in Kenya. As the manager, Martin ensures that key objectives are met within the business. He hopes to scale the business in the coming years by installing better irrigation that will improve the performance of all the crops during all seasons.
