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The Millionaire Farmer in Kenya Who Has No Land of Her Own

The cultural norms in western Kenya told Martha Otieno that, as a woman, she couldn’t own land. So, she leased it instead, built a successful farming business, and is now on her way to becoming the first woman landowner in the region.

Written by Ruud Elmendorp

Published on  July 5, 2018

Read time Approx. 0 minutes

In western Kenya, few women own land, but that hasn’t stopped one woman from becoming a successful farmer. Martha Otieno has been growing tomatoes and watermelons on leased land since 2011, and now employs 100 people to work in her fields.

Known as the Millionaire Farmer, Otieno has not only overcome the deeply ingrained cultural attitudes that force many women in Kenya to stay home and look after their families, but also convinced some of the men in the region that women should have the right to earn an income.

Otieno has now saved enough money to finally buy her own plot of land, where she plans to build a school to teach other women how to follow in her footsteps.

farming Kenya land ownership

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