Farmers Project
Agriculture is seen as the answer to some of the problems facing rural Africa today. UDS provides targeted training and information for farmers in rural areas in Kamuli district.
We started helping farmers by advising them on crops and seed varieties so that they could improve their yields. Whilst information was helpful, the farmers requested more practical training They wanted to be shown how to improve their incomes, not just told how to do it.
Our approach is always community by community – giving them the support of learning from each other – and making it sustainable once we are no longer involved. We set up our first training group for farmers in 2005 after consulting with them as to what they needed. Today we have 60 key farmers (trainers) in a variety of groups - some women only. Listening to what they need, we organised ‘Demonstration Plots. Set up on key trainers' farms, as part of the community themselves, each are able to train an additional 6-8 farmers. UDS Uganda have developed a Farmers Training Manual which they hope to publish.
The programme has been widely successful; we have rolled it out to neighbouring parishes and have a waiting list of farmers who wish to join. Farmers have been encouraged to organise the planting areas of their farm, and to grow sustainable cash crops which offer a good income namely pineapples, bananas, melons, tomatoes and coffee. Twelve pineapples can provide sufficient income for a primary school child to attend school for a term.
Pineapples are the answer
Yes, but what is the question you may ask yourselves? What cash crops can Ugandan farmers grow that improve their income?
Eighteen months ago we started working with the farmers in the Ngandho and Wangdho parishes of Bugaya sub-county, near Kamuli. We provided pineapple suckers and set up demonstration plots to show how to cultivate them. These are now beginning to crop and the farmers are seeing the results of their labour.
Pineapples are the good source of income because...
- Each pineapple earns them approx 1.000 UGX (28p)
- Pineapples do not all crop at the same time
- Not many people grow pineapples in this area and as such they can sell them easily
- Although we suggest that they apply manure, no chemical fertilizer is used
- Each plant provides 3 – 4 suckers – making them self-sustaining year on year and providing excess to sell-on to other farmers who wish to start growing pineapples
It costs us £40 to plant a demonstration plot ...
...£60 to hold a training session for 25 key farmers and £120 for a key farmer to take part in the year’s programme. Donate specifically to our work with the farmers through JustGiving
Stories from Uganda
Until George Ngobi received training in sustainable agriculture and income -generation, his land was barely supporting his family. He now grows pineapples, passion fruit, water melon, matoke (green banana), carrots, onions, beans and maze – providing food and a regular daily income. And he is keen to share his ever increasing expertise “I have trained 20 other farmers. UDS taught me and I was able to impart that to other farmers. What I taught them has made them love me! I do my best to check on their progress....”