The Story of Renalda
‘Peppers with opportunities for smallholders’
Renalda Bernard Mlay used to work as a bank employee. After 23 years, she decided to follow the passion from her youth and engage in agri business as an entrepeneur. Believing in a humble beginning, she decided to start up with two self-made tunnels of 300 m2 at the backyard of her parents’ home in Moshi, Tanzania.
Right starting material
Her background in financial business made her realize that she had to take things seriously, and invest in the right starting material. Renalda decided to grow red and yellow sweet pepper and bought quality seedlings from Rijk Zwaan.
Basic tips
The transplanting went well and not a single plant was lost, but during the season she made some common beginners mistakes. The plants were too well fed and watered and hardly produced flowers and fruits. Crop advisors of Rijk Zwaan helped her on the spot with some basic tips about pruning and crop maintenance and adviced to change the fertilizer regime.
Now it’s summer the first harvest is done and the cost of seedlings was recovered right after selling the first 150 Kgs. Furthermore, a substantial amount of money remained for new investments. This result satisfies Renalda and inspires many others. Not only friends and relatives in the surrounding towns, but also the many potential smallholders living in other areas.
Renalda made a successful start as a smallholder in Tanzania and sees a lot of opportunities for the future. Rijk Zwaan shares this faith. Together with Renalda, we are working towards a healthy future.