There is more to Nicholas Mugo, well known as DJ Moh, than his role as an established reggae deejay. After breaking into stardom nine years ago, he decided to seek and venture into livestock keeping early this year.
He started deejaying back in 2006. “I joined Dohty family in 2007 and I am the head DJ,” he says. Besides the decks, he finds satisfaction in his half-an-acre piece of land in Kwamaiko, Kiambu county. His first foray was with pig farming. However, it was a disappointing start since he made nothing from the venture.
“I had a brilliant strategic plan with the pigs, but I got in at the wrong time. I remember when I was starting out, a sow was going for Sh2,000. I opted to get a pregnant one at Sh25,000.
It gave birth to 12 piglets. By the time they were fully-grown and ready to sell, the price had already depreciated and I had to wait for six months to make my returns.
However, I needed immediate results,” he says. The DJ says since he was new to farming, he lost an investment of about Sh150,000 because the pigs got sick and they needed expensive medication. “I had to drift off and think quickly of something that would benefit me.
That’s why I decided to venture into cattle rearing,” says the DJ. Not the one to give up easily, he bought a cow for Sh80,000 and built a shed that cost Sh50,000. “It was costly compared to my previous venture because the start up cash added to Sh150,000 inclusive of the feeds and medication,” he says.
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Mugo is also a dairy farmer[/caption]
Now, he has three cows and says the venture is worth it. “Milk is always in demand so there is no way you can go wrong with cattle rearing. Once you have a perfect breed and feed, all will go well,” he says. This year, he was lucky to join Githunguri Dairy Sacco where he supplies milk.
This way he benefits as they offer loans, feeds and other cattle products that he uses to sustain his livestock. “It has played a big role in the growth of my business as we have an agreement of products. One cow gives 10 litres of milk a day, which is equivalent to 300 litres a month.
Rates do change every month but the minimum amount we are selling is at Sh40 a litre,” says the farmer, adding that from one cow, he makes Sh12,000 a month. He says the venture is good, but he faces the seasonal challenges. “It is expensive if you have to rely on commercial feeds.
When the rains are unpredictable, it means you have to spend more on food.” DJ Moh says he juggles well with his career. “It is easy for me because I play at night and work on my farm during the day,” he says. He adds that he has been able to kill the monotony of just being around music.
DJ Moh studied Mass Communication at the East African School of Media Studies. He says he would have been a journalist, but his quest led him to a different direction. His advise to young farmers is: “Do research about your location, food supply and the weather before you start. It takes time to break even, farming is a good venture,” he assures.
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