In pictures: Growing khat

"With the money from khat sales, I have bought dairy cattle which my wife takes care of," says Mr Ntu'mirungu.

Khat is yet to be declared a formal cash crop by the Kenyan government. But its sales have contributed greatly to the development of Meru district.

Farmers have been calling for its status to be formalised. They also want the government to downplay the negative associations attached to chewing Khat.

Text & pictures by the BBC's Noel Mwakugu