Rubirizi farmers struggle to protect vanilla from thieves

RUBIRIZI.

Vanilla is gaining prominence as a source of economic livelihood for a section of people in the sub- counties of Katerera, Katanda, Magambo and Katerera Town Council in Rubirizi District.
The farmers are, however, grappling with theft of the highly marketable crop.
The LC5 chairman, Mr Sylvester Agubanshongorera, says: “Since 2016, its (vanilla) price has been appreciating and now a kilogramme of dry beans of vanilla is sold between Shs250,000 to Shs300,000. And because of the booming market, there is a lot of produce theft.”
The farmers are aggressively guarding their crops and lives have been lost in pursuit of the lucrative enterprise.
At least 1,350 people have embraced vanilla growing since 2005 when the crop was first introduced in the district.
Mr Micheal Byaruhanga, a resident of Kakindo A Village, Katanda Parish, in Katanda Sub- county, narrates his experience: “On April 9, 2017, I was guarding my garden around 4am and thieves came. I saw them after they had stolen vanilla. I made an alarm as they took off. Fortunately other farmers arrested one of them as they were running away.”
He adds: “He was taken to the police where he confessed to stealing vanilla and revealed his colleagues. All of them were arrested and taken to Rubirizi Grade One Magistrate’s Court where they were charged with theft and released on bail. One person, who had been arrested over stealing vanilla and later released on bail, stabbed his colleague Hamuza to death when he could not give him the produce he had left with him. He escaped and has since never been seen again.”
Mr Stephen Mwesigye, a resident of Nyakatunga Village, Ryamatumba Parish in Katanda Sub-county admits that they lynched a vanilla thief.
“On January 9, three thieves invaded my garden at 2am. I was guarding the garden together with my family members. We made noise and they took off but some village members heard the noise. They arrested one, beat him and he revealed his colleagues. A crime preventer called police and they picked him but he was in critical condition. He was taken to Rugazi Health Centre IV and at 4pm he was pronounced dead. He was buried in Nyabushabi Village, Mwongyera Parish in Katerera Sub-county.”
Mr John Patrick Byaruhanga, the head of security at Katanda Vanilla Growers Association says: “We sleep in the gardens because of thieves, and when they come, if they find you there, they may even kill you. We need security from government.”
The acting district police commander, Mr John Lukooto, acknowledges the problem but says they are trying hard to fight the vice.
“The cases of vanilla theft were high in the month of December (2017) but have gone down in January. We are sensitising people, apprehending people who take the law into their hands and arresting suspected thieves. If we have overwhelming evidence, we take them to court according the guidance of the State attorney. But if there is need of more investigations, we release them on bond,” says Mr Lukooto.
The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Joseph Kule Maranga, confirms the challenge of vanilla thieves in the area. The authorities are planning to organise all the farmers to protect their crops.
“It is a big problem in Rubirizi. So far I have received reports of two people who have been killed because of vanilla,’’ Mr Kule says.
He adds: “When we register all the farmers, the district will be able to know how to provide security and arrest those who have made it a habit to terrorise farmers. They can harvest at the same time and sell their vanilla together.”
He says they are planning to meet leaders in Kasese District to jointly devise means of fighting the theft of vanilla because Kasese grows vanilla and some of the thieves are said to be coming from the area.
Vanilla takes three years to start flowering from the time it is planted. It grows best in hot humid climate at 1500m above sea level. The ideal climate has moderate rainfall, 1,500mm to 3,000mm. Vanilla is regarded as the world’s most popular aroma and flavour compound for foods, beverages and cosmetics. It is a complimentary in making of flavours such as chocolate and coffee.
According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Madagascar is the world’s top producer of vanilla beans. In 2014 it produced 3,719 tonnes followed by Indonesia with 2000 tonnes, Papua New Guinea with 510 tonnes, Mexico with 420 tonnes, China with 286 tonnes, Turkey with 280 and then Uganda comes in the seventh position with 218 tonnes.