By Vision Reporter
Allen Atuhaire Tibishangwa has been announced the best farmer from South-Western Uganda in the 2024 Vision Group Best Farmers’ competitions. She was acknowledged at the Best Farmers’ Awards at the Vision Group head offices this afternoon,
Her enterprises, in the valleys of Bumbire in Igara Bushenyi district, include dairy farming, a two-acre banana plantation, and rearing goats. She also has a biogas plant, contributing to environmental conservation as she does not use charcoal made from cutting trees for firewood.
In 2015, Atuhaire went into dairy farming.She started with five indigenous cows. Two of these were gifts from her parents upon the birth of each of her children. She bought the other from Bushenyi at the cost of sh3.5M since they were heifers.
Regarding land, the couple used what her husband had inherited from his father. The farm’s turning point was in 2018, when due to one of her children’s ill health; she left the supermarket and returned home to nurse him. Her presence at home was a blessing to the livestock farm.
“Expanding the farm was not easy because many activities were needed including clearing the farm, paddocking it, and also planting pastures for animals, and also introducing new breeds,” she explains.
On improving animal breeds she started with hiring good bulls from other farms like Kekuruso farm in Bushenyi then later she introduced artificial insemination which is now the current method she is using.
The 68-acre farm is situated on raised lowland and is divided into nine plots. Eight of these plots have paddocks and the ninth has a banana plantation.
In 2024, the farm had 66 improved breeds of cattle that yielded 150 litres of milk daily. The enterprise has a milking parlour which accommodates over 12 cows at a go. According to the judges, Atuhaire emerged among the winners because of her decision to add value at the farm.
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This is the ninth year running that Vision Group, together with the Embassy of the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, dfcu Bank and Koudijs Animal Nutrition, are running the Best Farmers competition. The 2024 competition run from March to November, culminating in today’s awards ceremony.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Allen Atuhaire receiving her award. Photo by Moses Nsubuga
