Tomato farming remains one of the most profitable agricultural ventures for both smallholder and commercial farmers across Kenya and East Africa. However, many farmers experience low yields, diseases, and high production losses simply because they lack structured knowledge on proper crop management. This course provides a step-by-step, practical guide that empowers farmers with the skills, tools, and techniques needed to grow healthy tomatoes and maximize profits. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced farmer, you will learn modern, climate-smart practices that significantly improve productivity and reduce common farm challenges.
Throughout the course, you will explore how to prepare your nursery beds, select high-yielding varieties, and transplant seedlings correctly to ensure strong early growth. You will gain a deep understanding of soil preparation, fertilizers, irrigation schedules, staking, pruning, and disease prevention. Farmers also learn to identify pests such as Tuta absoluta, whiteflies, blight, and other common threats, along with effective organic and chemical control methods that ensure safety for both consumers and the environment.
Beyond production, the course emphasizes post-harvest handling and marketing strategies that enable farmers to earn more from their produce. You will be trained on proper harvesting techniques, grading, packaging, and selling to reliable markets such as wholesalers, brokers, institutions, and supermarkets. By understanding market behavior and pricing trends, farmers can confidently position their tomatoes for better returns.
By the end of this course, you will have a clear production plan from land preparation to sales, boosting your confidence and equipping you with the knowledge required to run a profitable tomato enterprise. You will also complete quizzes, assignments, and practical assessments that make learning engaging, interactive, and directly applicable to your farm.