By Joshua Kato
The tomatoes are beautifully ripe. The lettuce, nakati (Solanum aethiopicum), cabbage, green pepper and eggplants, planted in gardens of various sizes, are ready for harvest too.
All this is in the middle of Kifumbira, a low-cost residential area in Kamwokya, Kampala city.
One Friday morning, over 100 men and women, mainly residents of this area, gathered for an open day, partly intended to train and interest them in growing vegetables.
The urban farm, sitting on about half an acre of land owned by the Kamwokya Christian Caring Community (KCCC) was set up by Joseph Male, one of the best farmers from the 2019 cohort.
“When I won in the farmers’ expo, I got the idea of giving back to the community. There is no better way than this farm,” he says.
KCCC provided the land on which the farm sits, while Magere-based Avail Fruits of Faith farm provided the seedlings, the greenhouse used for seedlings production and the technical knowledge.
Male says, two other gardens will be set up in the area. Charles Sserunjogi Musoke, the former Kampala Central division mayor and a member of KCCC, explains that this demonstration garden is a game changer.
“Every day, each home here spends a lot of money on enva endirwa (greens). Yet, if a person put up just one sack garden in the corner of a homestead, he would not only earn money but also improve nutrition,” Musoke said.
In addition to training the farmers, they also receive the initial seedlings free of charge. Francis Mbaziira, the area councillor, says cases of malnutrition and poverty among children and women are common in the area.
“Vegetables that can feed an average family are now more expensive than a kilogramme of beef. With such empowerment, people can actually grow their own vegetables,” he said.
Male explained that the farm is open to everybody, especially on Wednesday when there is an open field training session.
Jacklyn Kyatuhangire is one of the beneficiaries so far.
“I had challenges with paying school fees for my daughter. I approached the councillor who, among other things, asked me to come here and learn about vegetable farming,” she says.
In a few months, Kyatuhangire started with a few sack gardens and gradually increased.
“I am now selling vegetables to my neighbours and earning good money,” she says.
Beatrice Muwanga, a mother of two living just off Mawanda Road, is another beneficiary of the model urban farm.
“I have so far planted three sack gardens. They are giving me enough vegetables to eat at home and sell. I earn at least sh5,000 every day,” she says.
While some people think this is little money, Male explains that this should not be the case.
“It may look small, however, if this small amount is earned regularly, it becomes big,” he says.
Vegetable growing is one of the most lucrative enterprises ventured into not only for food security but also as one that gives farmers quick money.
Vegetables mature in a short time.
Profits from vegetables
Male says vegetable growing is one of the enterprises that people with little capital and space, like in Kamwokya, can venture into because it is not capital intensive and can be done in a small space yet with a high return on investment.
“One of the advantages of vegetable farming is that it takes a short time to mature. Like sukuma wiki (collard greens), spinach and spring onions take about a month to harvest, while eggplants take about two and a half months. Additionally, they continue sprouting which guarantees continued cash flow as you harvest for a long time,” Male says.
For example, with cabbage that matures in about two months, each head goes for sh400-sh1,000. An acre takes about 12,000 heads.
If about 5,000 are sold at sh1,000 each, you will earn sh5m. If you sell about 1,000 at sh800 each, you earn sh800,000 and 2,500 can yield sh1m for sh400 each.
This means if one planted an acre, they will earn about sh4.8m.
Male emphasises that selecting diverse and high[1]quality seeds is crucial for maximising profits in vegetable farming, as market dynamics have changed and following outdated trends can lead to losses.
He explains that for any farmer to benefit more, they should understand the market they are growing vegetables for such that they do so strategically.
The market for vegetables is wide, right from the neighbourhood markets like Nakasero, St Balikuddembe, Nakawa and Kalerwe to supermarkets, each having different demands.
However, specialised vegetable varieties like spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and beetroot have higher market prices and are ideal for those seeking quick profits.
Male says such varieties are not commonly marketed to the average Ugandan but have demand from restaurants, hotels and foreign markets.
“These vegetables are a delicacy for people who are watching their diet, for example, those aiming to lose weight, because they are part of healthy eating habits,” he says.
Some of the most lucrative vegetables
Cauliflower
It matures within about a month and only the white flesh head, called curd, is edible.
An acre takes about 12,500 plants with each going for around sh1,000- sh2,000. This means one can earn between sh10m and sh20m.
Broccoli
It has functional flower buds which are harvested and edible. It matures approximately within a month and its head weighs between 800g and 1kg selling between sh1,500 and sh2,000.
Lettuce
This comes in two varieties; iceberg and soft leaf lettuce which is commonly consumed as salads as well as a side dish. This is sold in kilogrammes whereby a 50kg sack goes for sh25,000- sh35,000.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: An agricultural trainer, Edward Galiwango (centre), engages local farmers in Kamwokya, Kampala city.
