If Gerphas Odipo had stuck to his training, he’d still be behind a microphone, entertaining listeners as a radio host. His business partner, Damiano Timothy, might still be deep in the world of branding and advertising.
But the two visionary entrepreneurs chose a different path—one that led them off the airwaves and straight into the soil. Today, through their company Judera Group Ltd, they are cultivating what could soon become Kenya’s largest chili and capsicum farming enterprise, right in the heart of Ngoliba, along the Thika–Garissa Highway.
🔥 Turning Passion into Produce
Under the banner of “Feeding Kenya, an Acre at a Time,” Odipo and Timothy have set an ambitious target: to plant 1,000 acres of chillies and capsicum across all counties in Kenya.
The journey has already taken root—65 acres of chilies are ready for planting at their Ngoliba farm, with another 100-acre expansion in progress in Narok. And this is just the beginning.
Their crops—chillies and capsicum—are not just chosen for their popularity in local cuisines but also for their high export value, tapping into the growing global demand for African spice varieties.
🌱 The Seed of an Idea
Interestingly, the idea to venture into farming was not born in a boardroom but during a leisure trip to Ngoliba. While visiting a friend who was a contracted French bean farmer, the duo couldn’t help but notice the vast, untapped potential around them.
“We looked at the lands around and instantly saw opportunities—real estate, medium-scale farming, and leasing. We decided to give farming a trial,” recalls Odipo.
🌾 Humble Beginnings and Hard Lessons
Without prior experience, the partners began small—with just one acre of French beans. The results were far from glamorous. After selling the produce at a throwaway price due to a collapsed contract, they earned a mere Sh. 800 from the entire acre.
Undeterred, they tried again, this time planting four acres of watermelons. The weather was right, the soil was fertile—but the yields were disappointing.
Still, they refused to quit.
“We learnt that success in farming lies in preparation,” says Odipo. “We just needed to prepare adequately and build a strong foundation.”
🌍 Building an Agribusiness Vision
Their setbacks became stepping stones. Odipo and Timothy went back to the drawing board and crafted a clear vision—to feed Kenya while creating jobs, boosting GDP, and enhancing food security.
That vision gave birth to Judera Group Limited, a company built on three key pillars:
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Job Creation – Empowering youth and local communities through farm-based employment.
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Economic Growth—Contributing to Kenya’s agricultural GDP through scalable agribusiness.
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Food Security – Ensuring a sustainable local and export supply of chilies and capsicum.
To make this vision a reality, they identified five key stakeholders in their model:
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Landowners—leasing idle land for productive use.
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Job Seekers – Providing the much-needed labor force.
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Investors—injecting capital to expand operations.
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Government Institutions—Supporting long-term agricultural projects.
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Consumers & Exporters – Connecting produce from farm to fork.
🌶️ A Fiery Future Ahead
With every acre they cultivate, Odipo and Timothy are proving that agriculture is not a fallback plan—it’s a frontier of opportunity. What started as a small experiment has grown into a structured agribusiness with national aspirations.
As the sun rises over Ngoliba, the fields of chilies glisten—each plant a symbol of resilience, innovation, and the power of believing in a different kind of growth.
Judera Group Ltd isn’t just growing crops.
They’re cultivating a vision—to feed Kenya, empower communities, and spice up the nation’s future.
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