Onesmus Mutio is a first-generation Minnesotan originally from Kenya. He is a graduate of Killimo MN, an incubator farm dedicated to equipping emerging farmers with the skills needed to succeed in Minnesota’s agricultural landscape. After leasing a quarter-acre lot for a year, Onesmus founded Smarterlife Organic Farms and purchased a 3-acre farm in Bradford Township in Isanti County, where he, together with his young family, continues to advance his deeply rooted passion in farming.
At Smarterlife Organic Farms, Onesmus organically grows and sells a diverse range of nutritious vegetables to The Good Acre and various wholesale accounts. Looking ahead, he plans to expand his market offerings by including Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs and participating in local Farmers’ Markets starting 2025.
In addition to his farming work, Onesmus is a founding board member of the African Growers andProducers Alliance (AGAPA), an organization in Minnesota that unites emerging farmers of Africandescent to enhance their collective impact and voice in the agricultural industry.Onesmus holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Kenyatta University and an MBA from DeVry University. He currently works as a Senior Project Lead for Supply Chain Resilience at Abbott Laboratories. However, he plans to transition to full-time specialty crop farming in the near future, making it his primary focus and long-term career path.
