Farmer Voices
How a Fence of Sunflowers Could Spark a Farming Revolution in Kitui 

For generations, Kitui farmers have depended on maize and beans. But over the last few years, rainfall patterns have shifted, the soil has grown tired, and yields have dwindled. Entire villages have gone through planting seasons with almost nothing to show.

“For the last two years, things have been bad in terms of rainfall,” recalls John Mwandia, founder of Kilovoo Trading Company.
“People depended on maize and beans, but now the maize is not working out for us. Nobody has had a harvest, and the soil is so depleted that people cannot afford chemicals or manure.”

That crisis set the stage for an unexpected idea — one that began, quite literally, along a fence.

“I had been planting sunflower along my fence and the road for about three years, and it always did well,” John says.
“So I told my brothers — why don’t we get the villagers to grow sunflower as a cash crop, so they can have something small to buy sugar, tea leaves, and pay school fees?”

In January, he distributed sunflower seed to nearby farmers at the start of the rains. About 130 acres were planted. Even when the weather turned dry again, sunflower endured.

“Even though the rains failed again, sunflower proved stronger than maize,” John explains.
“That’s when I knew we had found something worth pursuing.”

What began as a neighborly experiment soon became a community project — and eventually, a business built on shared hope. Kilovoo Trading Company invested in pressing and filtration machines, remodeled a local structure, and obtained certification to process pure cold-pressed oil under the Sundrops brand.

“We acquired machines, got KEBS certification and lab tests for our oil. We are ready to roll — the only challenge is raw materials, but we remain hopeful,” John says.

Today, more than 600 farmers across 1,000 acres are part of the network. Each farmer grows, harvests, and delivers seeds for cash on delivery, ensuring immediate income and trust.

“That’s what motivates them — they know they deliver and get their money instantly,” John notes. “It’s about building confidence and showing that farming can still pay.”

Partnerships with KARLO (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization) are helping improve seed quality and training, while a borehole fitted with smart meters provides reliable water to over 180 households in the same community — a sign that Sundrops is more than a brand; it’s a model for rural self-reliance.

“We started this so people can have something small to buy sugar, tea leaves, or pay school fees,” John reflects.
“It’s not just about oil; it’s about giving people hope again.”

From a few sunflowers planted along a fence to a growing local industry, the story of Sundrops is proof that with determination, community, and the right crop, a quiet revolution can begin — even in the driest of places.