King Charles III on Tuesday treated Kenyans to an extraordinary spectacle as he personally hand-picked vegetables at the City Shamba greenhouse, adding an unexpected and exciting touch to the occasion.
City Shamba is an urban agricultural business at Mama Lucy Hospital that builds city gardens appropriate for small spaces in Kibra
Still in his suit, he was picking the vegetables and placing them on a woven tray.
A woman in a white shirt was holding the tray as he followed the king with another man offering explanations when needed.
As he listened carefully, the king who wore sunglasses nodded keenly as he was seen asking questions to the officials.
City Shamba manager Greg Kimani was given the honour of taking the King round and answering any questions he would have.
“The King was very excited with the way we use organic manure at the farm,” Kimani told the Star after the tour.
His security was however not left behind as they kept running up and down to keep the King safe.
He was accompanied by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi during the tour.
His passion for organic farming is not a new thing as in September 2022, King Charles said he was thought of as a “complete idiot” for wanting to farm organically.
However, he was proved right over his concerns about the impact of the use of antibiotics in conventional agriculture.
In a story by the Guardian, at one of his last official engagements as Prince of Wales on the day before the Queen’s death, the King talked about his longstanding concerns that the widespread use of antibiotics could lead to increased resistance in bugs and viruses.
“One of the reasons I went organic 40 years ago was because I felt there was an overuse of antibiotics. And I felt that if you overdo it, you end up with resistance," he said.
"Anyway, that’s happened. I was told I was a complete idiot for even suggesting going organic."
The King farmed organically at Home Farm near his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire.
In 2020, it was announced that he would not be renewing the lease as he prepared for greater royal responsibilities.
