15 Best businesses to start in rural Kenya

There are many business opportunities in rural areas in Kenya. While many Kenyans prefer setting up business in towns and cities like Nairobi, there are a number of others who have become millionaires by setting up business in the village. Below is a list of best businesses to start in rural areas in Kenya.

• Keeping kienyeji chicken

Since in rural area there is land, keeping kienyeji chicken will be an ideal business. The good thing about kienyeji chicken is that they are not labour intensive, they will just eat the ugali that you eat. What they need is space to move around.

With this kind of business, you will only need a couple of chicken that lay eggs, then you are ready to go.

The capital can be as low as Ksh 1,000.

During festive season, you will sell each chicken at Ksh 1,000 or even more.

• Agrovet business

Since most people do farming in the village, starting an Agrovet will be a good business. You’ll need a capital of Ksh 100,000 to Ksh 300,000.Areas like Bomet, Nakuru, Kisii, Mount Kenya, Kajoado and Eldoret are the most ideal for Agrovet business.

• Boda boda business

The roads in the village are not so good and nowadays people prefer to use boda boda as opposed to matatu.People travel long distance to access shopping centres.With a boda boda, you’ll get permanent customers. Even if you can’t get cash to buy a bodaboda, you can get a loan from various boda boda loan companies in Kenya.

You will be making Ksh 500 per day from your business. The best thing about business in the village is that you will operate from your home, hence no rental costs.

• Dairy farming

Dairy farming is definitely number 1 business to do in rural Kenya. You can start with one cow then add more cows in future. The capital needed is Ksh 30,000 to Ksh 100,000.

Brookside,KCC and many other companies will buy your milk. You will also sell the milk to your neighbours.One litre of milk goes for Ksh 50 to Ksh 80.If you sell 10 litres per day, it means that you will make Ksh 32,000 per month from one cow. With more than 3 cows, you are assured of making Ksh100, 000 per month through the sale of milk.

• Grow avocado

Avocado business is one of the hotcake businesses in Kenya at the moment. If you have more than 1 acre, plant hass avocado and within 3 years you will start making profits. One acre will yield over Ksh 1.5 million per harvest.

The market for Avocado is in China and Europe.

• General farming

Grow vegetables and fruits. People in major towns are consuming a lot of vegetables which come from the villages. Saga and managu are some of the best vegetables to buy.

You will never lack market for your products especially if you have means of transport to Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa.

• Wines & spirit business

Wines & spirit is also a profitable business in rural areas. The capital for starting this business range between Ksh150,000 and Ksh250,000.The only challenge is to know how to deal with police because they will need bribe from time to time.Otherwise,the business is profitable.

• Mitumba business

In villages people won’t afford clothes from Turkey, they purchase Mulumba clothes. This is business you can start anywhere in Kenya and make profits.

• Butchery

Another ideal business in the village is to start a butchery. You will be buying cows and goats for slaughter cheaply. People in villages take meat quite a lot.

Butchery business is very profitable.

• Buy a tractor for ploughing land

Most people use tractors to plough land. The cost of buying a tractor range between Ksh 1.2 million and Ksh 3 million. During planting, you will get a lot of work, this is the time you’ll make Ksh 4,000 to Ksh30, 000 per day.

You can also use the tractor for transport.

• Sell kerosene

Start a general shop which will incorporate kerosene business. In rural areas people mostly use stove, they also don’t have electricity.

• Chemist

Set up a chemist in the village, you will never lack clients. Sick people are all over especially in rural areas. Since hospitals are few, the residents will come to your chemist to buy drugs.

• Kinyozi & salon business

In villages women take long before they go to salon. Don’t make a mistake of starting a salon which is not supplemented with a kinyozi.Start kinyozi & salon business in the same room, this way you will be assured of making profits.

• MPESA shop

Another business you should think of is MPESA shop. You will need a capital of Ksh 80,000 to Ksh 120,000 to set up MPESA shop.

But make sure you install CCTV in your shop, it is very important.

• Catering business

Buy plastic chairs, cooking utensils and start catering business.Nowaday people hire those seats for functions like wedding and funeral. Your catering services will also be required in those functions.

 Every week there must be a function and if your services are good, you will be in high demand.