I’m Charles Kibigo aka The Villager, Founder and Managing Director of Village & Beyond Ltd, and my journey into agribusiness has been shaped by equal parts ambition, failure, resilience, and an unwavering belief that agriculture can transform livelihoods when done intentionally.

What began as a personal farming venture under The Villager’s Farm started with a simple but powerful realization: farming in Kenya remains one of the largest economic opportunities for young people, yet too many still view it as a last resort or a retirement plan. I wanted to challenge that narrative by proving that agriculture can be innovative, profitable, and dignified for young people willing to build within it.

I started by growing staple horticultural produce — potatoes, peas, and cabbages — while learning firsthand the realities that smallholder farmers face daily: unpredictable markets, poor-quality farm inputs, climate shocks, and limited access to reliable infrastructure.

One of the defining moments in my journey came during the final quarter of 2025.

In anticipation of the OND short rains, we made our boldest investment yet:

• 7 acres of virgin land under potatoes
• 16,000 cabbage seedlings transplanted from nursery
• 5 acres of peas planted to improve soil nitrogen ahead of future seasons

It was our most ambitious production cycle.

Then the rains failed.

What followed were months of uncertainty, prayer, and difficult decisions as crops struggled under prolonged drought conditions. We lost over 10,000 heads of cabbages, recorded low potato yields, and experienced firsthand how vulnerable rain-fed agriculture can be when climate patterns become unpredictable

Instead of retreating, we adapted.

We invested in climate resilience infrastructure by constructing a water pan capable of harvesting approximately 200,000 litres of rainwater, creating a short-term irrigation buffer during dry periods and reducing future climate risks.

Soon after, when heavy rains returned, we learned another lesson: too much water can be just as destructive as too little. We worked around the clock to manage drainage systems and protect our crops from flooding and water-related diseases.

These experiences shaped Village & Beyond’s commitment to climate-smart agriculture and sustainable production systems.

Another major turning point came through our search for authentic Kigondoro pea seeds — a variety highly demanded by the market. After being sold counterfeit seeds multiple times by agrovets, distributors, and even fellow farmers, I lost nearly KES 17,700 trying to access genuine seeds.

It was an unexpected middleman who eventually restored my faith in agribusiness integrity through a risk-sharing agreement that helped me secure authentic seeds. That experience reinforced one of our strongest values today: trust is currency in agribusiness.

At Village & Beyond, we are now focused on:

• Climate-smart farming
• Mechanized land preparation
• Youth employment
• Women inclusion in agriculture
• Value addition
• Farmer aggregation
• Market access
• Building resilient food systems from villages to markets

We deliberately engage young people in our production systems because I believe agriculture must become a sector where youth see opportunity, not limitation.

We are also expanding into value-added products such as processed potatoes, while building systems that help smallholder farmers access better markets, stronger incomes, and long-term resilience.

Village & Beyond is more than a farm.

It is a growing ecosystem built on resilience, authenticity, and the belief that rural communities can become powerful drivers of food security, employment, and economic transformation.