By Rosemary Tukundane
Apart from matoke, potatoes, or cassava, balugu (climbing yams) is also a food crop that can be farmed as a commercial crop.
Uganda is a home of numerous species and ecotypes of climbing yams which have more than 10 local names that are used depending on their physiological structures for example Endugu, kyetutumura, nandigoya and kisebe.
It is traditionally cultivated in the Bukunja-Buikwe district but has now spread to more other parts of the country.
The root tubers grow in a bunch or on their own , grow 6 to 8 meters tall and can weigh up to 80 kilograms.
Nalongo Nakyito Silvia a resident of Boston, Makyinde in central Uganda grows balugu on her farm.
She said that over time, the balugu crop was gradually abandoned in favor of more productive plants like matoke[ cooking bananas, rice, irish and sweet potatoes but most people are in search of this precious food crop because of its unique roles, the crop can be grown in urban areas because it fills smaller space compared to banana and more other food crops grown in towns.
‘’It can be grown in sacs to grow much bigger in size, control the pests and diseases that attack the tubers and for people with limited space’’, she added
Silvia added that she started on one acre with 300 balugu crops but expanded the farm to three acres due to the high demand from the consumers, the crop has three major benefits that is it is consumed as food ,medicine and it is money generating.
She continued that the crop grows on loam fertile soils under cool temperatures and matures in one year, it tastes very sweet when consumed at a mature stage and sour when eaten immature, it can be eaten boiled or raw for medicinal purposes.
Medicinal benefits of balugu yams
‘’The crop cures malaria, flue and cough, that is why every family and farmer needs to grow this gracious crop on their farms to help them escape hospital bills,’’ Nakyito said
‘’Diabetes and pressure patients find balugu a miracle crop for food and medicine at the same time, it is said that when one feeds on this yam variety, the sick have higher chances of surviving from these deadly diseases and living longer,’’ Nakyito added
Income generating purposes
Balugu is sold to market vendors in Kibuye and Owino markets, one root tuber is sold at shs.5000-10000 depending on the size of the tuber, due its expansion in size, one root can fill a sac making the crop more money generating to the farmer.
‘’The crop is bought by traditional healers at a more higher price making a farmer never regret why they started growing this money and medical purposed crop,’’ Nakyito said
