If someone told you that wriggling worms could help you earn money, feed your soil, and support a sustainable business, all from your backyard, you might laugh.
But today, an increasing number of Kenyans are turning to worm farming (also called vermiculture) not just as an eco-friendly hobby, but as a real agribusiness venture that’s low-maintenance, high-impact, and surprisingly profitable.
What Is Worm Farming, Really?
Worm farming is the practice of breeding earthworms to produce:
- Vermicompost (nutrient-rich organic fertilizer)
- Worm tea (a liquid fertilizer and natural pesticide)
- Live worms (used in poultry feed, fishing bait, or sold to other farmers)
You basically feed worms organic waste, like vegetable scraps, fruit peels, manure, and dry leaves, and they transform it into gold for your garden.
It’s a natural recycling system with money at the end of it.
How Much Can Worm Farming Earn You?
The beauty of worm farming is that you earn in multiple ways:
- Selling Vermicompost
- 1 kg of vermicompost can sell for KSh 50–150, depending on the packaging and quality.
- One worm bin can produce up to 10–20 kg of compost per month.
- If you scale up with 10 bins, that’s potentially KSh 10,000–30,000 monthly from compost alone.
- Selling Worm Tea
- Liquid fertilizer (worm tea) sells at KSh 100–200 per litre.
- It’s in demand by urban gardeners and organic farms.
- Selling Live Worms
- Red wigglers (a popular composting worm) go for KSh 1–5 per worm.
- A kilo (about 1,000 worms) can fetch KSh 1,000–3,000.
- Farmers, poultry keepers, and even fishers buy them.
Combine all three, and you could be looking at KSh 20,000–50,000+ monthly, with minimal space and input.
What Do Worms Eat?
Worms aren’t picky, but they thrive on organic, non-meat waste:
- Fruit and vegetable peels (bananas, carrots, mangoes)
- Tea leaves, coffee grounds
- Crushed eggshells
- Dry leaves and shredded newspaper
- Livestock manure (aged)
Avoid: Meat, dairy, salty or oily food, spicy scraps (like onions and garlic), and citrus fruits in large amounts.
Think of them as vegan recyclers, they like it clean, damp, and organic.
Who’s Buying?
- Organic farmers (especially in Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret)
- Poultry farmers (for protein-rich worm feed)
- Gardeners and plant lovers
- Agrovets and nurseries (as resale agents)
- Eco-conscious urban households
With more Kenyans embracing sustainable living and healthier food, organic fertilizer demand is booming, and worm farmers are cashing in.
How Much Space Do You Need?
You don’t need a farm. You just need a shaded corner, a plastic bin, or a wooden box. Even balconies or backyards work.
A beginner can start with:
- A 100-litre container
- 500–1,000 worms (starting colony)
- Basic bedding: coconut husks, shredded paper, sawdust, or soil
