Oil seeds improve farmers' incomes

A farmer (R) in Omoro District runs the soybean threshing machine PHOTO Julius Ocungi.

What you need to know:

  • Beatrice Akumu has never looked back since she abandoned rice farming for oil seeds such as soybeans and sunflower, writes JULIUS OCUNGI.

Beatrice Akumu, a resident of Agwayugi Parish in Parabongo Sub-county, Amuru District, has been growing rice for more than 15 years. However, come harvest time, she said the returns were always disappointing.
“My family has been growing rice for years, although we always anticipated getting bigger returns, we were always disappointed with the harvests since our crops sometimes are affected by sunshine,” Akumu said.

Journey
In 2013, Akumu and her husband, abandoned rice for soybean and sunflower after joining a village group Gang Ber Ki Mon, where she was taught oil seed farming.
The group basically encourages the growing of sesame, sunflower, soybeans and groundnuts.
“My family did not know that soybeans and sunflower were marketable and high value crops. Our first attempt was towards the end of the year in 2013, we planted soya beans and sunflower on two acres of land and after harvest, we got 11 bags from each of the crops,” she said.
She said the first harvest earned them Shs3.2m after selling soybeans and sunflowers seeds as well as cooking oil processed from sunflower.
Akumu said to date, she grows vegetable oil seed crops adding that the proceeds from farming have enabled her pay school fees for her children besides buying a plot of land.
Vicky Ajok, is another successful farmer whose venture into growing vegetable oil seed crops has given her hopes to return to school next year.
Ajok completed her O-Level education at King James Secondary School in Lira District, but could not further due to school fees challenges.
Frustrated, she returned to her village in Acet Trading Centre, Lalogi Sub-county, Omoro District where she joined Pur Ber youth group a village youth farming group.
“After training, I took to soybean farming,” said Ajok.
She noted after three months, she harvested her soybeans and got eleven bags (1,030kilogrammes) of soybeans, which she sold to Equator Seeds Ltd at Shs3,000 a kilogramme adding that she realised Shs3m from the sales.

Investments
Alex Okeny, the chairperson of Pur Ber youth group, said over the last two years, the group has succeeded in acquiring numerous agro-inputs. He noted that they were able to purchase 10 motorised sprayers at Shs3m, two maize threshers and one soybeans thresher machine at Shs21million. Okeny says the group is able to raise Shs20,000 daily by hiring to farmers the soybean and maize thresher machines.
“We have received training in saving money. been trained on how to save money, our village saving group has helped in transforming the livelihood of farmers, particularly youth,” said Akeny.