By Joshua Kato
The rows of collard greens (sukuma wiki) are ready for harvesting.
The lettuce, nakati, cabbages, green peppers and eggplants planted in sack gardens of various sizes, are ready for harvest too.
The two-acre farm, owned by the community of Eruba Primary School in Arua district, is a centre of excellence for vegetable production in West Nile.
It was established by Joseph Male, one of the best farmers from the 2019 cohort. During his visit to the Netherlands, he toured a “Care farm” that supported vulnerable members of the community.
Although he had already started this community initiative, the visit galvanized his resolve.
“When I was recognised as one of the best farmers, I got the idea of giving back to the community. There is no better way to give back than through this farm,” he says.
Male contacted the Lions Club of Norway and through Lions Aid, they provided the financial backing to start the project.
The community of Eruba provided the land on which the farm sits, while Avail Fruits of Faith Farm, based in Magere, Wakiso district, supplied the seedlings, the greenhouse used for seedling production and the technical knowledge.
According to Male, there are other gardens in West Nile, including those at St. Aloysius Nyapeya in Zombo and in Madi-Okollo.
Male chose West Nile, because of the obvious deficiency in their diet.
“Every day, each household spends a lot of money on enva endirwa (greens). Yet, if a person set up just one sack garden in the corner of their homestead, they would not only earn money, but also improve nutrition,” he said.
In addition to training farmers, they also receive the initial seedlings free of charge. Even in West Nile, vegetables are expensive.
“Vegetables that can feed an average family are now more expensive than a kilogramme of beef, and yet with such empowerment, people can grow their own vegetables,” he said.
The setup
Male explained that the farm is open to everyone, especially during open field training sessions. The community not only learns about simple and commercial vegetable production, but also consumes the products.
“We provide technical backup and knowledge to the community; however, the managers of these projects are locals,” Male says.
In addition to the greenhouse, there is another acre used as an irrigation model. The trained farmers are also given a starter pack of seedlings to plant at their homes.
At Eruba, the produced vegetables are consumed by local schoolchildren. Annette Pammer from Norwegian Aid, states that this project aims to improve nutrition in the community.
“It is important for us that the community takes ownership of this project. We want it to generate income and be sustainable. We are specifically working with youth and women,” she says.
The Norwegians have established hundreds of water sources in West Nile and it is at some of these sources that the vegetable gardens were established. Benson Andima, a local leader, thanks the Norwegians for supporting the project.
“As a community, it is upon us to ensure that this is sustainable,” he says. David Mutaisa adds: “We want it to benefit the learners and children of this area.”
