Refugee earning millions from vegetables

Warm and overcast; that is how one can best describe Oruchinga refugee settlement in Isingiro District.
The sweltering sun rays hit the black clay soil hard as the dry winds carry it away.
It is difficult to imagine that crops can survive in such an environment, but that is until you visit Samali Kyamari a 48-year-old old refugee from Rwanda running a mixed vegetable farm in Oruchinga refugee camp.
The farm is easy to pick out from the rest of the camp due to its lush green foliage.
The two-acre farm hosts cabbage, hot pepper, green pepper, sukuma wiki, pumpkins, amaranth, garden egg, beans, and carrots.

So how did Kyamari get into farming?
After arriving in Oruchinga from Rwanda in 2001, he teamed up with fellow Rwandan refugees and they started to dig wells for water supply.
“I started farming about 16 years ago after seeing there was increased demand for vegetables in the camp,” Kyamari says.
Vegetables are a valued commodity in the camp that accommodates more than 7,000 refugees.
“The rations we receive from the humanitarian agencies such as Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) do not have vegetables. Families have to purchase them from traders. I decided to take advantage of this demand and plant vegetables,” he adds.
His activities were spotted by officials from HIJRA and UNDP, who offered to support him start the vegetable farming project.
“With the help of friends in the camp, we identified a proper site, cleared the bush before planting the vegetables with the help of the two organisations. I planted one acre of garden eggs (ntula), half an acre of cabbage and half an acre of green pepper. The project cost about Shs1.5m,” says Kyamari.

Training
“During that training, we were taught how to plant on trenches, in small plots of land, mulching, watering plants, using pesticides and improved seedlings. We were later given seedlings which for a start, I planted in my small plots,” he explains.

Savings
He is also a member of the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) in the camp. “Here, we save money and create a revolving fund where members are given this money at a subsidised interest rate. From this, I was able to borrow money and top up his capital,” he said.

Best practices
Kyamari has divided his land into six smaller plots and he uses each plot for six different enterprises including cabbage, carrots, egg plants, hot pepper, beans and maize.
He mulches all the plots especially when the dry season is approaching.
“In the dry season, I also borrow a communal water pump and sprinkler to water my vegetables. I then prepare compost from pruned leaves that I use as fertilisers for the garden. In addition, I collect manure from the pigs I rear and add it to the plots,” he explains. This is because the vegetables he grows require very fertile soils.
In order to prevent his vegetables from getting infested with pests which are a major challenge in the area, he has invested in using pesticides. “In addition to the pesticides, I intercrop the vegetables with hot paper so that it naturally keeps the pests away giving me an added advantage,” he says.
His day to day activities revolve around watering, weeding and harvesting his produce.
“Since hot paper and egg plants can be continuously harvested, when their time is full, harvesting them becomes part of my day to day routine,” Kyamari says.
But this also means he has to engage in best practices while growing his produce so that they are of good quality, able to compete on the market.
The vegetables take between one and two months to mature. However, they are planted on the different plots to ensure a steady supply throughout the year.

Challenges
All is not rosy for Kyamari. Like many farmers, the dry season with its sweltering sunshine is a challenging time for the farmer.
“This is very challenging because we are far from the water source making it hectic considering the vegetables require a lot of water. In cases of a prolonged dry spell, the crops usually grow poorly, leading to losses,” he says.
Though they have a communal water pump with which one can water their garden with, one has to wait until it is available. In addition, retail customers prefer buying produce at a very low price, which is unprofitable.
He faces several other challenges that include expensive pesticides and thieves who steal his mature crops in the night.

Market and the proceeds
Exporter James Kanyije, a horticultural expert from KK Foods, says increased demand for traditional vegetables has provided farmers with immense opportunity.
“I expect Shs100,000 every week from my hot paper plot a lone after I start harvesting. Previously the market for the produce was scarce but now, I distribute hot pepper to KK food distributors who come weekly in the camp to buy farmer’s produce. Some of my other clients who buy my other produce are traders who come and buy in bulk, but also, I sell to retailers in Kajaho market in Mbarara,” Kyamari says.

Benefits
Through the horticulture venture, Kyamari has been able to expand his farm. He started a piggery last year and today he sells piglets to other farmers. He is also a consultant who offers skills to other farmers at a fee.
“I was unable to continue with my education back home in Rwanda. Farming has helped me have a decent livelihood,” he says.
“From this project, I have been able to support my children through school, I have been able to construct a house and from the money I have raised, bought pigs which in turn give me manure for the garden. I also do not worry about food shortage because I have food growing in my backyard,” says Kyamari.